Final Chance
by MajesticStallion
Summary: Alec is in love with his best friend Jace, who doesn't know he's gay. It's their last year of high school, and Alec's final chance to tell Jace how he feels. But when the new sparkly and fabulous student named Magnus Bane comes along, things get complicated. How will Alec's senior year turn out? ALL HUMAN/AU. Rated T for mild language and suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I've been having this idea for a while now, and I'm really excited about this story! Hopefully you'll like my first chapter. It might not be too interesting at first, but I promise it'll pick up in the second chapter. :) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own the Mortal Instruments in any way. Cassandra Clare does. I also don't own the car brands, Toyota and Chevrolet. **

Chapter One

The alarm buzzed loudly, causing Alec to roll over in bed and angrily press on the snooze button. Why was his alarm set for so early in the morning when school hadn't started yet? The teenager then rolled back into his place, wanting to go back to sleep as quickly as possible.

After five minutes had passed, there was a loud knock on his door. Again, Alec wasn't sure why so many things were disrupting his sleep. Didn't anyone know that he liked sleeping in during the summertime, when there was no reason to be up until lunch?

"Alec, get your ass out of bed and get ready to go to school!" the voice behind the door yelled at him. He could immediately tell it was his sister, Isabelle. He chose to ignore it.

Yet Isabelle was still at the door, because she kept on yelling. "Alec, seriously! Get up!"

Alec wasn't sure why she was being so persistent. Sometimes Isabelle liked to play tricks on him, but this time she seemed pretty serious. It was still summertime, right?

Without warning, the door swung open, and Isabelle stomped into Alec's room, stopping right next to his bed. She grabbed his sheets and yanked them off of him, throwing them on the floor beside her. "Get up!" she said, bending down so her face was close to his ear.

"Damn it, Izzy." Alec grumbled, lifting his head to look at his sister. He noticed she was already dressed and all ready for the day. "Would you stop yelling?"

"You're going to be late for school if you don't start getting ready. Max and I will be waiting for you downstairs, then you can drive us there." Isabelle started to explain, standing back up to tower over her brother.

"School...?" Alec grumbled confusingly, as if the word was unknown to him. Wait a minute...

"Yes, school is starting today! Now I suggest you get dressed before mom gets mad at you for being late." his sister went on, and then spun around to stalk out of his room, slamming the door behind her loudly.

Alec lay on his stomach for a few more minutes, soaking in the fact that he had completely forgotten that school was starting _today_. "Shit," he said aloud, and pealed himself off of his bed, grabbing his sheets and throwing them back on the bed.

Being in a hurry, Alec took the first pieces of clothing he saw—a plain black t-shirt, and worn out jeans. He quickly put those on and somehow managed to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth at the same time. After he made sure he didn't smell and that his hair didn't look too much of a mess, he made his way downstairs, spotting his bag that was lying on the kitchen floor along with his breakfast on the table.

"Good morning, Alexander." his mother said, her back turned to him. She seemed to be rummaging through the refrigerator, looking for something.

"Morning," he said, and sat down on a chair, eating his breakfast quickly. Isabelle and Max were also seated at the table, eating their breakfast which consisted of eggs and bacon, and some orange juice.

"Alec forgot that school is starting today." Isabelle stated, as if no one knew that already. Max laughed as he munched on his bacon.

Alec said nothing and kept on eating his food. Maryse was done looking through the fridge, and was now gathering her things to head out to work. "Well, you three better not be late. You should leave in five minutes." she said.

"Okay," Alec said simply, already finished his plate. He got up and walked over to the counter, dumping the plate into the sink. A minute later Isabelle and Max had finished their own breakfast, and they placed theirs in the sink too.

"Don't forget to lock the door on your way out." Maryse explained. "Have a nice day at school." With that said, she quickly made her way to the front entrance, put on her heels, and got out of the house.

"Where's dad?" Alec asked both of his siblings.

"He left early. Mom decided to stay a little later to make sure you'd be up to get to school on time." Isabelle explained, grabbing her bag.

"Well, isn't that nice of her." Alec said sarcastically, making his way to the front door. Isabelle and Max were following right behind him.

His sister frowned as she put on her shoes. "Don't say that. Mom and dad are very busy."

Alec let out a snort. "Yeah, lawyers who can't afford to spend time with their children." he stated bitterly.

"Can we stop talking about mom and dad and just go to school? It depresses me." Max said with a sad look on his face.

The other siblings seemed to agree with that. They all made their way out of the house, making sure to lock the door in the process. Max ran excitedly to Alec's car—a black Camaro that Robert gave him for his 17th birthday. Alec suspected that he only gave him a car so he wouldn't have to ask his dad to drive him places, and not complain that he never gave him anything. Not that Alec ever complained in the first place. Alec hated that his dad had to assume everything. He never talked to any of his children, and bought them expensive things to pay up for it. Robert just didn't know that objects couldn't make up for paternal love.

Max got into the backseat, while Isabelle and Alec sat in the front. Alec couldn't say he didn't like his car—it looked amazing and worked really well. He just didn't like the reason he got it. But then again, it was one of the few things that said his father still knew of his existence. As soon as Alec started the car, his sister changed the station and blasted the music to full volume. Max covered his ears, and Alec rolled his eyes, turning it down a bit.

"God, Izzy. It's like your deaf or something." he said.

"Yeah, my eardrums were gonna start bleeding!" Max commented, his hands still on his ears.

"You guys just have sensitive ears, that's all." Isabelle snorted.

In about ten minutes, the three arrived at their destination, St. Xavier's High School. The school taught grade seven to twelve, and Max had just started going to the school last year. It made things a lot easier, since everyone now went to the same school. Alec drove over to the parking lot, where all the other students with cars would park. It wasn't too hard finding a parking spot, either. Not that many kids had cars at this age. A few old trucks, expensive looking cars like Alec's. There was even a nice silver Camry that Alec never really noticed before.

Once he made sure he parked well enough, Isabelle and Max quickly got out of the car, Alec taking more of his time. He actually liked going to school. Being at home was pretty boring, since his parents were always gone. Alec could hang around here with his friends and just be away from the house.

As soon as Alec stepped out of the car, another one parked next to his. He immediately recognized who's it belonged to. He only knew one other kid at this school who owned a red Malibu. Someone who also had rich parents who were never there at home.

When the car was parked, Jace and Clary both got out of the car, and immediately looked over in Alec's direction. Alec smiled at them, and Isabelle and Max walked over to them too.

"Hey, Alec." Jace said walking over to him and patting his back. "Last year of high school, and then we're out of this hell hole."

Alec couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, you've got that right."

He looked over at his sister and brother, who were talking to Clary. The five of them had become rather close. Jace knew Alec since they were both babies, and they've been like family ever since. They've known Clary for about two years now, but Jace acted as if he knew her much longer than that. The two have dated for a whole year, and Alec couldn't help but be a little jealous. One, because it took them only a year to be super close to each other, and two, because Alec had this crush on Jace. Not that Jace knew he was gay or anything.

Not that many people knew of his sexuality, actually. Only Max and Isabelle knew. His parents were never there, so what was the point? And he didn't want to tell Jace or any of his friends, because they would only make fun of him, and it would be sort of awkward. Alec had a hard time accepting it himself in the first place, so why should he tell other people?

"Well, at least we're in some of the same classes. Same thing with Jordan, Simon and Sebastian." Jace went on, as the five all started to make their way to the school building.

"Yeah, good thing. I don't know if I'd survive math class without you kicking at my chair every five minutes." Alec agreed sarcastically.

Jace only shrugged. "What? How else am I supposed to entertain myself?" he asked him.

"Well, Clary, Maia and I are in some of the same classes too." Isabelle put in.

"Lucky you, Izzy. Wish I could be in the same grade as my girlfriend." Jace said, wrapping an arm around Clary. Alec couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

"I think I'll pass. Alec seems to know what he's talking about." Clary said, smiling in his direction. Alec managed to smile back.

After a few more minutes of talking, Max had to split ways with everyone else. The junior high students had their own section of the school, while the high school students had another part of the school to themselves. When Alec and Jace would graduate, Max could finally say he was in high school.

"Our first class is English. We should head out now." Alec said, checking his watch. He always liked to be in class ten minutes before the bell. Jace didn't really care, but he was trying to put him in the habit.

"Well, if you really want to get to class so quickly, there's no stopping you." Jace said, Clary and Isabelle still there with them. "I didn't know you didn't want to see any of our other friends before class started."

Alec only shrugged in response. Clary looked at her boyfriend seriously. "You guys should go. I have gym class first anyway." she said.

At that, Jace didn't disagree. Only Clary could say something to shut him up completely. That was one thing Alec was sometimes thankful for.

"Okay, then. See you guys at lunch." Jace said, giving Clary a kiss on the lips. Alec looked away at that, and said goodbye to his sister instead. With that done, the two made their way to their first class, Alec silently thanking that Clary was a year younger than them. At least that gave him some time with Jace. The only problem was actually telling him how he truly felt. And he didn't have much time left to tell him before they graduated.

* * *

After English, Alec and Jace each had different classes, so they split ways. Alec's next class was science, which was admittedly one of his favorite subjects. Not many people enjoyed science—well, neither of his friends, anyway. Once he got to the classroom, there weren't many people in it. He was at least ten minutes early.

Alec quickly took his seat at the front of the classroom. Out of his brother and sister, he was the one with the higher grades. Isabelle didn't really like to pay attention, and Max could never stand still in class. Not that his parents really payed attention to either of their grades, anyway.

To make things better, Jordan and Sebastian were both in his science class. They got in a few minutes after Alec got to class, and greeted him happily while taking their seats beside him. Both Jordan and Sebastian weren't that great in science, and always counted on Alec to explain and help them catch up. Alec wasn't sure why they were still taking science class if it was giving them trouble.

"Hey, have you guys seen the new student yet?" Jordan asked his friends. There were still about five minutes before the bell, so they decided to just talk a little.

"There's a new student? In what grade?" Alec asked curiously.

"Our grade. Apparently he just moved about a month ago." Jordan explained.

"How do you know that?" Sebastian said with a frown on his face.

"He's in my math class. He dresses kind of weird, too. I think he's gay." Jordan went on, trying to hide a smirk.

Alec's eyes grew wide. "Dresses weirdly how?"

"Very weird. Tight clothing and crazy hair kind of weird. He wears some makeup, too." he answered, as if the situation was funny. "He seems nice, though."

"Nice... like he was into you or something?" Sebastian joked. Alec kept his eyes wide, not saying anything.

"No, not like that. He seems like he doesn't care about what anyone thinks. Which is respectable, I guess. I wouldn't have the balls to dress like that anywhere." Jordan said with a shake of the head.

"What balls?" Sebastian asked, looking over at his friend curiously.

"Shut up, you piece of shit!" Jordan snapped, punching him in the arm.

Alec was about to say something, but a voice from behind stopped him before he could open his mouth to speak. "Excuse me, mind if I sit with you guys?" the voice had a small accent, something foreign. It wasn't weird, but it sounded slightly attractive. And when Alec turned around, he was surprised of what he saw.

Behind him stood a tall guy—about an inch taller than Alec—with tanned looking skin. He was lean, but his arms were lightly muscled. He wore tight black jeans with a bright blue and purple buttoned up short-sleeved shirt. His hair was up in spikes—which were dyed blue—and there was glitter all over. You could tell he wore mascara and eyeliner, along with a bit of lip gloss. His eyes were a weird sort of green-yellow. Alec found that he was pretty good-looking. Sexy, even. No wonder his voice sounded so attractive.

"Yo, Alec? Stop staring, it's weird." Jordan cut his train of thoughts, causing him to blush a shade of red.

"I wasn't staring." he said in defense of himself, looking back at his two friends.

"I'm pretty sure you were." Sebastian clarified, which caused Alec to glare at him.

"Can't blame him. I do look pretty fabulous." The sparkly guy said with the most dazzling smile Alec had ever seen.

"Well, whatever. Go ahead and sit here, Sparky." Jordan said with a wave of his hand.

"Sparky?" Alec and Sebastian both questioned in unison.

"I'm not sure the nickname suits me." the new student said, taking a seat behind Alec. "Maybe something along the line of sexy beast. Or something like that."

"Well, you're all full of sparkles." Jordan explained, wiggling his fingers towards the tall guy. "And I had a dog named Sparky."

"Are you calling me a dog? Because I'm more of a cat person. In fact, I own a cat. His name is Chairman Meow." the guy explained, looking over at Alec, who stared at him with wide eyes.

"Nice name." Sebastian said halfheartedly. "But seriously, what's your _real _name? It's not like anyone cares about Jordan's dead dog." Jordan shot him an unappreciative look, but Sebastian ignored it.

"My real name is Magnus. Magnus Bane." he answered. He then looked over at Alec and took out his hand. "And your name is...?"

Alec stared at his hand for a minute, then finally shook it. "Alexander Lightwood. But everyone just calls me Alec." he answered.

Magnus smiled at him mischievously. "Now _that's _a nice name. It suits you." he said.

"Uh... thanks." Alec said, trying not to blush. No one seemed to notice but Magnus, and that caused him to grin even more.

After Sebastian introduced himself, the bell rang loudly, and Alec turned around to face the front of the class. The teacher immediately started the lesson, which caused Jordan and Sebastian to sigh in boredom while taking notes. Alec rolled his eyes and couldn't help but smile. But he had a feeling that someone was looking at him. It wasn't Jordan or Sebastian—he could see them on each side of him. So slowly, Alec turned around.

Magnus was staring at him with that same grin on his face. Alec looked down on the desk to see that he was taking notes, but somehow managed to look at him at the same time. "Um... hi?"

"Yes?" he asked him innocently, leaning in closer to Alec.

"Were... you staring at me?" he asked him slowly.

Magnus frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you're imagining things." he suggested.

"Oh... okay." he said, and with a confused look, Alec turned his head back to the blackboard, concentrating on the class and continuing to take some notes. What he didn't know was that Magnus had looked at him the whole time—taking notes now and then—and still staring at the back of his head.

* * *

Lunch had finally come, and Alec was glad for that. He had gone hungry halfway through the lesson, which made it hard for him to concentrate. There was also the fact that Magnus kept staring at him from behind. Alec wasn't sure why he had to keep staring at him. Magnus was definitely a weird guy.

Before he could talk to anyone after the bell rang, Alec had quickly made his way out of the classroom, hunger taking over him. He knew Jordan and Sebastian would be mad at him for ditching.

"Alec! Hold on!" Jordan yelled after him.

Alec finally decided to stop and turn around. He looked at them with a confused look. His hunger wasn't the only reason why he was leaving so quickly. He also didn't want to see Magnus. As much as he was weird, he was still pretty attractive. It was a little distracting for Alec.

"Sorry, I'm just really hungry." he half lied, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, whatever. We want to know where your locker is." Sebastian said, dismissing Alec's explanation.

"Oh, right. I'm on the second floor, at the front of the school." Alec explained.

"We're on the second floor, too. Just on the other side." Jordan said.

"Let's go drop our stuff off and head to the cafeteria after." Sebastian suggested, and everyone seemed to agree.

After stopping at everyone's lockers, the three friends all headed to the cafeteria. Once they got there, they spotted Jace and Simon, who were in line waiting for some food. Clary, Isabelle and Maia were there too.

"Hey guys." Alec greeted, eagerly standing in line behind Jace.

As soon as Jordan spotted his girlfriend, Maia, he walked over to her with a big grin on his face. Like Jace, his girlfriend was a year younger than them, so they could only see each other during breaks and lunchtime. "Hey, babe." he said, giving her a kiss.

At least Alec wasn't the only single guy among the group, so he wouldn't have to feel miserable by himself. Both Simon and Sebastian were yet to find a girlfriend. It was pretty obvious that Isabelle and Simon had this little thing going on, and Alec didn't seem to take it too seriously. After all, Isabelle was one to break hearts. And Simon wasn't really her type.

It took about a dozen minutes for everyone to order and pay their food. After all that was done, everyone headed over to the tables and took their seats at a free table.

"So, how was your first and second periods?" Jace asked no one in particular.

"Freaking boring. I had math and science." Jordan said glumly.

"I thought you hated science. Why did you take it?" Clary asked curiously, eating some of her salad.

"It was either that or geography. And that subject is even more boring." Jordan answered.

"You think everything is boring!" Sebastian exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"Stop badmouthing me. It's no fun." Jordan said with a pouty look on his face.

The conversation kept on being about everyone's schedule's, until Jordan brought up the new student, Magnus, that was in both of his classes. He was mostly talking about what had happened in science class, which Alec was soon going to regret.

"So, this Magnus guy is in both of my classes. Alec and Sebastian are also in my science class, so he got to meet them too." Jordan started to explain, and looked over at Alec with a smirk on his face. "You should've seen the look on Alec' face when he saw Magnus. It was so funny!"

At that, Alec started to blush. He tried to hide it, but it was near impossible when his skin was so fair and pale. Every time his face would redden, it would stick out like a sore thumb.

"What kind of face did he make?" Jace asked with an impossibly wide smile on his face.

"Nothing! I wasn't looking at him in any way." Alec quickly cut in before Jordan could utter a word.

"Why so defensive?" Simon asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, bro. Why?" Isabelle inquired, which caused a glare from her brother.

"Just leave him alone, guys." Clary said tiredly. It was times like these where Alec could be thankful for her maturity. And for not being so nosy and persistent.

"Aw, that's no fun." Jace said glumly.

"So, is he close by or something? I want to see what he looks like." Isabelle said, looking around the cafeteria, expecting an answer from someone.

"Why would you want to know? Expecting him to be super hot?" Maia said curiously, and Simon gave her a suspicious look. She only smiled back innocently.

"Maybe he is." Isabelle answered with a shrug.

"He's right there." Sebastian said, pointing at the far right of the cafeteria. And there Magnus was, sitting with a small group of people. Alec noticed he was talking to a beautiful blond girl, who was smiling and laughing at what he was saying, which couldn't be heard from this distance.

"He looks like an Adam Lambert wannabe." Jace commented as soon as he spotted him.

"Yeah, which is super hot." Isabelle said with a small smile on her face.

Simon looked at her with an unbelievable expression on his face. "He's not that great." he commented bitterly.

Clary couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, Simon. Don't get so jealous."

"Yeah, he looks gay anyway. He totally wouldn't be into Isabelle." Jordan said in an attempt to comfort his friend, which wasn't really helping.

"Great," Simon said with a shrug. Isabelle didn't seem to take any notice of the conversation. She was either still looking at Magnus or talking to Maia.

Alec couldn't help but feel a little bad for Simon. Sure, he had a crush on his _sister_, and Alec should be all over protective. But, Isabelle could take care of herself just fine. It was Simon everyone should be worried about. At that same time, Alec found it funny that Simon was getting all worked up about Magnus. He didn't seem like much of a threat. He didn't seem to be into girls, anyway.

But as Alec looked more closely in Magnus' direction, he could see that the girl he was talking to was sitting pretty close to him. He didn't seem to mind, either. Alec couldn't help but cringe at that. Magnus seemed like a nice enough person. Or maybe that was the impression he was trying to set for everyone else. For all Alec knew, Magnus could be a jerk among jerks. Not to mention he was a little strange.

So, maybe Simon had a reason to worry.

* * *

After lunch, Alec found out that he had math with Simon, which was pretty good, because Simon was probably one of the best students on that subject. Alec was pretty good too, but if ever he didn't understand, he could count on Simon to help him figure things out.

Even on the first day of school, Alec and Simon were stuck with math homework. It wasn't surprising, but Alec was a little bummed on the amount of homework he had already. So far, he had work to do in every class.

The best part was during the whole class, Simon looked very upset. Even though Alec knew why he was sulking, he had to ask, just to see how Simon would react.

"It's because of that new student, Magnus." Simon answered, with hatred in his voice.

"Don't worry about it. Magnus and my sister haven't even met yet." Alec pointed out.

"Exactly," Simon said, worry written all over his face.

"Well, I don't think Izzy will go after someone like that." Alec went on, and suddenly realized he was comforting his friend in thinking he still had a chance of going out with his sister. "Why does it bother you so much, anyway?

At that, Simon didn't answer right away. "You know... I kind of like your sister." he answered shyly.

Alec rolled his eyes. "I know you do. Everyone knows. You make it pretty obvious."

"Oh," his friend said, looking embarrassed. "I'm surprised you're okay with it."

"It's not really my business. My sister can date who she wants, unless he's a total ass. Then I get involved." Alec explained while looking at Simon seriously. "That means I trust you."

Simon looked a little startled, but nodded his head anyway. "Thanks, I guess."

Alec didn't want to mention that his sister would probably be the one to break his heart. He wanted him to figure it out for himself. Besides, Simon saw Isabelle date a lot of guys before, and she pretty much trampled all over them. Alec tried to talk to her about her being kind of a bitch towards guys, but she didn't seem to want to hear it. And his parents weren't any help either. They didn't even know half of the guys she dated.

After math, Alec had his last class of the day, which was gym. He was pretty happy of ending his first day on one of his favorite classes. He hated always having to sit on an uncomfortable chair listening to the teacher talk and take notes all day. Having gym class gave him a break of that.

Even better, Jace was in his class. He met with him half way to the big gym, and the two chatted happily to the changing rooms.

As soon as Alec stepped inside, he froze. At one of the lockers on the left side of the room stood Magnus with no shirt on. He already had his gym shorts on—they looked fairly normal, surprisingly—and was looking through his gym bag. Alec couldn't help but stare at him. Not only were his arms muscled, but so was the rest of the top half of his body. His stomach was perfectly flat, and he definitely was working towards a six-pack. He was almost has buff as Jace was.

"Alec, did you hear what I said?" Jace snapped him out of his embarrassing train of thoughts.

"Huh? What?" Alec asked, looking over at his best friend in a quick gesture.

Jace let out a small sigh. "I said, let's go over and talk to Magnus. I want to meet him."

"Oh, um, yeah. Good idea." Alec tried to sound as if he was unfazed, and Jace seemed to have fallen for it. He didn't even notice him looking at Magnus, which was a relief.

"Hey, you're Magnus, right?" Jace jumped right into a conversation with the new student, who had finally found his shirt in his bag.

"The one and only." Magnus grinned, putting his shirt on, which was a bright red. "I'm surprised that so many people have heard of me on the first day."

"Well, my friend Alec has told me about you." Jace said, sticking his thumb in Alec's direction.

"You've been talking about me, Alec?" Magnus asked, his smile widening.

Alec shook his head. "No, Jordan mentioned you. Not me, technically..."

Jace looked over at his best friend. "Yeah, but didn't Jordan say-"

"He said nothing. It's fine. I'd like to change into my gym clothes before the bell rings." Alec interrupted, pushing past Jace and taking the locker beside Magnus. Jace only shrugged and looked back at Magnus.

"Anyway, I'm Jace. Nice to meet you." he said, sticking his hand out towards the new student.

Magnus nodded his head and shook his hand firmly. "Are you and Alec best friends or something?" he asked curiously.

"Yup. Since we were born, basically." Jace answered, looking over at Alec, who wasn't even paying attention anymore. He was shoving his stuff in his locker.

"That's pretty cool. Well, I'll head out to the gym now. See you guys soon." Magnus said, walking out of the changing room.

"He seems pretty cool." Jace commented, putting his own stuff in his locker. By now, almost everyone was out of the changing room. There were probably about three other guys in there with them.

"Yeah, I guess so." Alec said, shrugging his gym shirt on, which was a dark blue. He was also wearing his black shorts.

After about two minutes, Jace was all dressed in his gym clothes—a plain white shirt and black shorts—the two headed out to the gym as well. As soon as they stepped out of the changing room, the bell had rung. They had come out just in time.

At St. Xavier's High School, sports were definitely the number one importance over any other subject. The school was known for having the most available sports, and one of the schools to have the most sports teams overall. That meant that gym class was an obligated class throughout all of high school. Most of the students were sporty, anyway. Some of them weren't as much, and came to this school because of its high education and many varieties in clubs.

Alec and Jace both loved sports, and they always wanted to join their favorite sports team. Jace would join the football team, and Alec would join the soccer team. They've been part of those teams since the seventh grade.

Gym class seemed to pass by fairly quickly, since it was a class both he and Jace loved. There was one thing that kept distracting Alec, though. It was Magnus.

The first thing they had to do after the teacher had explained how this years gym class would work, were run some laps around the track outside. Alec and Jace were at the front of the group, pretty good at running for a long amount of time. Magnus also seemed to be a good runner, too. He passed everyone in front of him and caught up with Jace and Alec. When Alec spotted him, he took on a surprised look. Magnus smiled at him, with no sweat on his face and his slight amount of makeup still looking flawless.

Once they were done with running, everyone paired up in groups of two and started passing around some footballs. Naturally, the first sport they were going to play was football. It was the most important sport to the school. They probably had the best football team compared to any other school in Brooklyn.

Alec and Jace had paired up as usual. Magnus was paired up with another guy in class, and decided to stand next to Alec as they both passed the ball to their partners. Magnus kept glancing at Alec, smiling brightly.

"You're pretty good." Magnus commented as Alec threw the ball over to Jace.

"Thanks," he answered, "but Jace is better at football than me. I'm better at soccer."

"Really? Well, you do have the body for a soccer player." Magnus observed, which caused Alec to blush a little. He immediately looked away from the new student and focused his attention on Jace.

After passing the ball a few more times, it was already time to go in and change. They didn't have time to play an actual game, so it would be saved for tomorrow.

When the last bell rang, Jace told Alec he would go see Clary at her locker. Not wanting to see the two of them kiss and cuddle, Alec told him he'd go to his locker and wait for him at the entrance of the school. He also had to wait for Isabelle and Max.

Jordan, Maia, Sebastian and Simon said goodbye to Alec as they passed by his locker. They didn't have a car like he or Jace did, so they either took the city bus, got a ride from their parents, or even walked. When Alec was done putting all of his stuff in his school bag, he quickly made his way to the entrance of the school, and headed outside.

As usual, Alec was the first to be ready. None of his siblings were there, nor was Jace or Clary. Thinking that they would still be a few more minutes, Alec started to walk around the front of the school, looking around at all the students getting into their cars, or waiting for the city buses to arrive.

Alec didn't have to walk far to spot that same silver Camry he saw that morning. He though it looked pretty nice, so he decided to stop and see who owned it. He stood a little farther away from it so he wouldn't look like he was eying it. And when he saw who was walking towards it, Alec gaped. Of course, it was Magnus.

Magnus unlocked his car, and was about to get into the driver's seat, when he spotted Alec. He smiled and waved over at him. Alec didn't have a choice but to wave back, and Magnus motioned him over. Again, Alec couldn't refuse, so he walked over to the new student.

"Well, hello there Alec. It's nice to see you so often in one day." he said, as if they were close buddies or something.

"Hi, Magnus. I didn't know you owned a car like that." Alec said the first thing he was thinking. He wasn't sure if it was an insult or not.

"Well, I bought it myself, actually. I worked a lot during the summer and last year." Magnus explained, not seeming insulted. "Did you think this wasn't my type of car?"

Alec shook his head. "No, it's just... not a lot of kids have expensive looking cars like that." he answered.

"Hm, I see. Do you have an expensive looking car too?" Magnus asked him with a sly grin.

"Um, yeah. Over there." Alec answered, pointing at his black Camaro. "My dad got it for me on my 17th birthday."

"Wow, you're pretty lucky. You're parents must be loaded." Magnus said, looking over at his car with wide eyes.

"Yeah, my parents are both lawyers." Alec said with a shrug. He didn't want to enter that topic.

"Oh, I see. So..." Magnus trailed off when some voices calling Alec's name were heard from not too far away.

"Alec!" It was Isabelle's voice. She was running towards him, Max not too far behind her. Jace and Clary were there, too.

"Isabelle." Alec greeted, a little startled that she had found him talking with Magnus. He wasn't exactly sure why he felt so surprised. There was nothing wrong with talking to the new student.

"Let's head home now. I've got some homework to do, and I don't feel like doing it late at night." Isabelle said, crossing her arms over her chest. Max only nodded his head in agreement, although he probably didn't have as much homework than him or Izzy.

"Yeah, sure." Alec said, turning over to his friends. He sneaked a glance over at Magnus, who was smiling at him.

Isabelle looked over at Magnus and smiled at him politely. "You must be Magnus. I'm Isabelle, Alec's sister." she said.

"It's nice to meet you, Isabelle." Magnus smiled back at her.

"And I'm Max, Alec's brother!" he said, not wanting anyone to forget about him. He jumped in front of Isabelle eagerly.

"Nice to meet you, too, Max." Magnus said, glancing down at the youngest member of the group, his smile never leaving his face.

Clary had introduced herself too, and it soon led to a bit of chatting. Alec really wished he could go home for once. For some reason, being around Magnus like this made him a little uncomfortable. He was afraid that maybe the sparkly student would embarrass him in front of everyone—especially Jace.

"Well, we really should head out. I have a lot of homework to do, too." Alec finally managed to cut into the conversation, and Isabelle looked a little disappointed.

"Aw, why? I want to keep talking for a bit." she said in a sulky voice.

"Isabelle, don't start." Alec said in an annoyed voice.

"You should listen to your brother." Magnus said. "I should get going, too."

Isabelle's disappointed face slowly disappeared, and she agreed reluctantly. "Okay," she said.

"Well, it was nice talking to you all. I'll see you first thing tomorrow, Alec. Remember, we have science first period." Magnus said, and glanced over at Alec with a hopeful look.

Alec gave him a small smile. "Yeah," he said simply, not knowing what else to say.

After a few more goodbyes, Magnus got into his car and drove away. Alec and Jace made their way to their cars, Isabelle, Max and Clary following them side by side.

"See you guys tomorrow." Jace said before getting into his car. Clary got into the passenger's seat, waving goodbye to the three siblings as well.

"Bye!" Isabelle waved back, sitting beside Alec, who had already gotten in and started the car. Max sat patiently in the backseat, his backpack placed beside him.

Alec and Jace both started to drive out of their parking spaces, and then drove out of the school parking lot, each a little eager to get home. Even though there was a lot of homework to be done, it would be nice to get home.

Alec no longer felt like school was the best place to be. Sure, he didn't like the fact that his parents were never home, but there was also Magnus to consider. He would see him every day for a whole school year, and so far he was driving him insane just looking his way. Alec wasn't even sure if it was a bad or good thing.

Senior year would definitely be the most interesting one of all.

**Well, there you have it! Chapter one of many others to come. ;) Now, was it too long, too short, or just right? I'd like to know of everyone's opinion. So please read and review. It would make me so happy! Because the more reviews I get, the faster I will post my chapters. Also, I hope I got everyone's personality right. Since this is AU, it's normal for them to be a little OOC, but I hope I didn't go too far with that. Let me know what you think about that, too. See you all next chapter! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'd like to start this author's note by saying thank you to everyone who reviewed!**** Your reviews made me so happy, and I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story so far! Also, I'd like to thank everyone who are following my story, and for the favorites! So, without further ado, here is the second chapter I promised all of you! Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own the Mortal Instruments. The wonderful Cassandra Clare does.**

Chapter Two

The next day, when Alec had woken up, both of his parents had already left for work. It wasn't surprising, but it still disappointed him. As much as he was annoyed with his parents, he still loved them. He just wasn't sure if they loved him back.

After the usual morning routine of getting ready and having breakfast, the three siblings all headed to school in Alec's car, quickly finding a parking spot. Jace and Clary were already there, along with the rest of their friends.

The group was talking for a bit, until Alec insisted that they should all head out to class since there were only ten minutes left. No one complained this time—not even Jace—and Alec walked with Jordan and Sebastian to class.

As soon as he got inside the classroom and sat down with his friends, Magnus stepped inside too. He looked just as fabulous as yesterday. His hair was still spiked and colored the same; he also had on the same amount of makeup. This time he wore tight black leather pants and a purple v-neck shirt with black designs on them. It made Alec look completely boring and plain with his faded jeans and gray t-shirt.

"Good morning, Alec. Did you sleep well?" Magnus asked, taking his seat behind Alec.

"Yeah, I guess. What about you?" Alec answered, a little startled with Magnus being so familiar with him after only knowing him for a day.

Before the sparkly student could answer, Jordan cut in, "What about us?" he asked, trying to sound hurt.

"Yeah, do we not matter or something?" Sebastian went on.

"Actually, I'm only interested in Alec." Magnus said with a wink, and Alec blinked at him in surprise. It took all he had not to blush.

"Very funny," Jordan said, while rolling his eyes. Sebastian couldn't help but smile slightly.

At that moment, Alec had suddenly remembered that girl Magnus was with at lunch yesterday. The way she was sitting so close to him was definitely suspicious. Alec couldn't help but want to know. He wasn't really sure why, though. It wasn't exactly his business.

"Hey, Magnus. Can I ask you something?" Alec decided to ask anyway.

"Anything," he replied, propping his elbows on the desk and resting his chin on the palm of his hands.

"Who was that girl you were talking to at lunch yesterday? Is she your friend, or something?" Alec asked reluctantly.

Magnus gave him a wide smile. "Why so curious about my social life all of a sudden?" he teased.

Alec avoided eye contact with the new student. "I was just wondering."

"Hm, well all right." Magnus said with a shrug. "That girl I was talking to is Camille."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Jordan asked suddenly.

Magnus shook his head. "No, she's just a friend. We've know each other since we were kids, so that's why we were acting so close, if you were wondering about that."

"Oh, I see." Alec said. He still wasn't sure if Magnus was gay or straight. He didn't just want to ask him out of the blue like that. There wasn't any other way he could think of, though.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Alec?" Magnus asked curiously, snapping him out of his train of thoughts.

"Me?" Alec asked in bewilderment. "No, I don't. I don't really want a girlfriend."

"Yeah, we've tried to hook him up with different girls, but he always refused." Jordan complained.

"I don't want a girlfriend." Alec repeated, glaring at his friend.

"You don't?" Magnus asked, and gave Alec a look as if that was completely unthinkable.

"No," he said slowly. When Magnus was still staring at him, Alec looked away in embarrassment. He didn't want him to know about his sexuality. Jordan and Sebastian didn't even know. He wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"He's seriously turned down every girl who asked him out. And he refused to go out with any girl we suggested." Sebastian explained. "It's like he's gay or something."

Alec nearly burst at that comment, but he held it in and tried not to flip out. "I'm not gay." he said in a rather calm voice.

"You'll convince me when you go out with a girl." Sebastian answered, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Maybe you'd be interested in meeting Camille." Magnus suggested, grinning at Alec. He seemed to be really amused about something. Alec didn't really want to know what he was thinking.

"Sure," Alec shrugged.

"Finally," Jordan mumbled under his breath.

"That doesn't mean I'll go out with her!" Alec said angrily.

Before anyone could say anything else, the bell rang, and the teacher once again wanted to immediately start the lesson. This was the sort of teacher to check everyone's homework one by one and make sure it was done properly. If it wasn't, the student with the incomplete homework would usually get detention.

Of course, Alec did all of his homework, and with his full effort too. Science was a fun and simple subject for him, so the homework that was given to him wasn't that bad. He just had to listen to the teacher and take all the notes to do the homework properly.

When the teacher passed by Magnus, Alec heard him praise the student for completing his homework. Alec was a little surprised that someone else was good at science like he was; maybe because Jordan and Sebastian weren't that good at it. Alec turned around and saw Magnus grinning at him from ear to ear.

"I didn't know you were good at science." he commented, looking down at the new student's homework.

"You don't know a lot of things about me." Magnus shrugged, still smiling. "I'm guessing you're pretty good yourself."

"It's one of my favorite classes." Alec explained. "I'm glad you understand science, though. Jordan and Sebastian aren't that good and always call me for questions on the homework."

Magnus chuckled, and leaned in closer to Alec, his chin resting on one hand. "Can I call you even when I don't have questions for homework?" he asked in a low voice.

At that, Alec inched away and blushed a dark shade of red. "W-what? You... don't even have my number or anything. And-"

"Relax, Alec. I was only teasing." Magnus laughed, drawing back a little. "Unless you want my number."

Alec didn't say anything. He blinked at Magnus, unable to answer. His face was slowly going back to its normal shade.

"We're friends now, aren't we? Friends usually exchange numbers to talk or ask about school stuff." Magnus started to explain.

"Well, I guess you're right." Alec admitted quietly.

"All right," Magnus said, taking a small scrap of paper and writing down his name and number on it. "Here's my cell and home phone number, so you can either call or text me."

Alec took the piece of paper and turned around to write his own name and number. "Here's mine." he said, handing him a small piece of lined paper, avoiding eye contact with his new friend.

"Thanks," Magnus said, hiding a small smile. "I hope you call me often."

"Yup," Alec said simply, turning around on his seat and facing the front of the class. He didn't know what else to say. Plus, he didn't want to show Magnus that he was still blushing like crazy. Why exactly was he getting all fed up with this new student? He wasn't sure if it was because this Magnus person was good with words and extremely charming, or because he just blushed easily. Because Alec knew that he still liked Jace. Every time he would think about him, his heart would beat a little faster, and he would blush just like what he was doing now.

And from behind him, Magnus couldn't stop grinning, staring at Alec's beautiful handwriting with his number on it.

* * *

English class passed by pretty quickly. English was a pretty easy subject for Alec—he was a generally smart kid—and enjoyed when they worked on Shakespeare and literature. And of course, there was the fact that Jace was in his English class, too. It made it even better. Jace would usually crack jokes, and make not only Alec, but the class laugh. He was usually the class clown, and was not liked by many teachers. Jace was still a pretty smart student, though.

Jace suggested that they both stop at each others lockers before meeting up with the others and going to the cafeteria. Alec was surprised; Jace would usually go see Clary first. Ever since those two had met, Clary was his first priority. Which led to Alec hating on Clary at the beginning. But as the time passed, Alec slowly started to respect her. Even now, he was often jealous, but it wasn't as bad anymore. Besides, Clary must be pretty amazing if Jace liked her so much. Alec had to accept his best friends decisions.

The worst part of all was that Jace never really noticed when Alec would get all mad around him and Clary. Sometimes he would ask if he was okay, but all it needed was for Alec to lie and tell him everything was fine. Jace would then dismiss it and move on. Alec couldn't really blame him; he would usually keep his feelings to himself, and be very subtle, so even Isabelle wouldn't notice.

Alec's thoughts were soon interrupted when they all met up with Clary and the others. Jace put all of his attention on his girlfriend, so all Alec could do was talk to the others and stand in line behind his crush, pouting on the inside.

After ordering his food, Alec only had to take a few more steps until a tap on the shoulder stopped him. He slowly turned around in confusion and was half surprised to see Magnus. Except he wasn't alone.

Beside him stood that same girl that Alec saw sitting with Magnus at the cafeteria table yesterday. From up close, she was even more beautiful. Her hair was a perfect blond, and her eyes were a stunning emerald green. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and a flattering pink and white shirt. She wasn't smiling, which made her look a little intimidating.

"Hello, Alec. Nice to see you." Magnus said with a smile on his face.

All of Alec's friends had stopped and turned around to see what was going on. "Um, hi."

"You remember me mentioning Camille in science class, right?" Magnus went on, placing a hand on his female friend's shoulder.

"Oh, yes. It's nice to meet you, Camille. I'm Alec." Alec said politely, taking his hand out in her direction.

Camille smiled a little. "It's nice to meet you." she answered while shaking hands with Alec.

"Camille is new here, too. We both came from the same neighborhoods. I'm not sure if any of you have met her before." Magnus explained, glancing at everyone else.

"Yeah, you're in my English class." Simon said, looking over at Camille. "But we're each sitting on one end of the class, so I wasn't able to talk to you much."

"Oh, you're Simon, right?" Camille asked, titled her head in curiosity.

"Yup," he answered, and soon enough Camille was introduced to everyone else in the group. The thing Alec hated the most was the fact that Jordan and Sebastian kept being a bunch of goofs, looking over in his direction and grinning stupidly at him and Camille. Alec glared at them, but luckily no one else seemed to notice.

As lunch progressed, Magnus and Camille both joined Alec and the others to a lunch table. It's not like Alec would have minded, had it not been for Jordan and Sebastian acting like idiots. Other than that, it was fine. Camille was quiet at first, put she slowly started to warm up to everyone else. Magnus had commented that Camille was a wild and fun kind of person when she was with her friends, and Camille only laughed and blushed at his comment.

It was a little strange that Camille really seemed to be close to Magnus. That was probably because the two were childhood friends, according to what Magnus had said earlier. Apparently, they've known each other since they were both ten, and have lived in the same neighborhoods ever since. Magnus and Camille didn't really say anything else on that matter, which caused Alec to be a little curious. He knew better than to question on it, though.

"So, Camille," Jace started, looking right at her. He definitely wasn't the shy type. "What classes do you have this semester? I don't have you in any of my classes."

"Well, I have English with Simon." Camille started, glancing at the boy with glasses. "I also have math and history. Oh, and art with Magnus."

"Yeah, we took year round classes for art. We're also thinking of joining the Art Club, too." Magnus explained.

"I've been in the Art Club since I started high school here. And I always take year round classes for art." Clary added.

"I'm guessing you enjoy art?" Magnus guessed with a smile.

"I love drawing in my spare time. Art is my favorite subject." Clary answered, smiling back at him.

"Yeah, Clary is an amazing artist. You should look through her sketchbook." Simon said, looking over at his best friend with a proud look on his face.

"I'm not _that _great." Clary said in embarrassment.

"Are you kidding me? Everything you draw looks so real." Jace said. "Although, you tried to draw me a bunch of times, but you can never get me right. Not surprising, since no one can get my exact gorgeousness."

Clary blushed slightly, and punched her boyfriend in the arm. "It's harder to draw people. But for some reason you're the toughest one to draw."

"See? Image of a god right here." Jace said, motioning to himself in an over-dramatic gesture. Everyone laughed at his stupid joke, and Alec silently agreed that Jace _was _that gorgeous.

"Well, there's more to just drawing in art class." Clary went on, after everyone was done laughing at Jace. "What do you guys like to do?"

"Camille and I are more into designing, actually." Magnus answered, glancing over at his friend, who nodded in agreement.

"So that must be why you two have awesome clothes?" Maia questioned, titling her head to the side.

"Don't you wish you were that stylish?" Jordan asked her teasingly. Maia glared at him, but couldn't help but smile afterward.

"Well, I think that Camille's outfit is super cute." Isabelle put in.

"Thanks," Camille said with a wide smile on her face. "I think you dress pretty nicely, too."

Isabelle flipped her hair, and smiled proudly at herself. Both her and Jace were always being complimented on how they looked or dressed. They were just a _bit _into themselves. It didn't help when nearly everyone classified them—along with some other students—as the most good looking people in the school.

"Alec thinks you look damn sexy in your outfit, Magnus." Sebastian said, and both he and Jordan burst out laughing. Clearly Sebastian was just trying to embarrass his friend.

"What?" Alec exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table and glancing at his laughing friends angrily. His face was red with anger and embarrassment.

At that, Jace started to laugh too. "Dude, you should see the look on your face!" he said, shaking his head.

"Well, I'm pretty sure anyone would believe so." Magnus said with a shrug, when the three guys had finally stopped laughing. Simon had only chuckled a little, and the girls only smiled. Alec was completely embarrassed as Magnus kept staring at him amusingly.

"True," Isabelle agreed.

Simon rolled his eyes. "We all know you think he's sexy, Izzy." he said flatly.

"Well, of course. If someone is good looking, they should be told so." Isabelle explained, glancing back and forth at Simon and Magnus.

"Thank you, dear Isabelle." Magnus said, trying to hold in his laughter as Alec hid his face in his hands.

When the conversation had continued, Alec had stopped paying attention. He was still hiding his face from everyone else, even when the thing had passed. When Alec glanced over at Magnus—who was talking to Camille and Clary—he looked over at him and winked subtly. Alec rolled his eyes and looked away.

As Alec had suspected, this was definitely going to be an interesting school year. He just wasn't ready for even more embarrassing things to come.

* * *

After lunch, it was gym class. Alec was soon going to have a love-hate relationship with this class, he just knew it. Firstly, because he had always enjoyed physical education; and secondly, since Magnus was in it now, he didn't know what to expect.

As he, Jace, and Magnus got changed, Alec was trying not to stare at both of his shirtless friends. How he managed to contain himself around Jace all these years, he wasn't sure. Now that Magnus was here, it didn't help the situation at all.

Magnus was well in-shape, but you could tell that Jace worked harder to keep a nice body. His shoulders were more broad, and his arms were a little more muscled. His whole torso was more buff, too. Jace even had a golden glow to his skin, but Magnus' skin was more tanned than anything else.

When Alec would look at himself in a mirror, he didn't look as good as Jace or Magnus. Sure, he was lean and lightly muscled like Magnus was, but his skin was so unbelievably pale, it made him look like a ghost. Even during the summer, his skin didn't tan much. Alec burnt easily.

Today's class, everyone immediately had to start running some laps around the track outside. Again, Magnus was still pretty fast, and could catch up with Jace and Alec easily. Alec found it amusing that Jace was trying to be the fastest, but Magnus would keep catching up. If the two kept that up, they would be exhausted before even playing football.

Alec was also surprised to see that Magnus wasn't really sweating all that much. His small amount of makeup seemed untouched. When Isabelle wore makeup, it wouldn't be affected by whatever she did, either. Alec wasn't sure how either of them did that. Maybe it was some sort of gift.

"How come you don't ever sweat?" Alec decided to ask him directly as everyone was passing the ball to their partners. Of course, Alec and Jace were paired up again.

"I don't know, I'm just not immune to sweating that much." Magnus answered with a shrug. "Which is great, because I hate getting all sweaty. It ruins the makeup."

Alec gave him a small smile. "I figured as much."

"What about you, Alec?" Magnus asked after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"What do you mean?" Alec questioned confusingly.

"Do you sweat easily?" he clarified.

Alec shrugged, catching the ball from Jace. He threw it back at him before answering, "I guess."

Magnus suddenly walked over to Alec, pushed his bangs out of the way, and ran his fingers over his forehead. The surprised teenager flinched and moved back. Magnus observed his fingers and smirked. "Yeah, you sweat easily."

"But we just ran five laps. Of course I'm sweating." Alec objected, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm not," Magnus said. "You're probably just immune to sweating and reddening easily."

"Well, that's only because I have pale skin." Alec said, a little upset that Magnus noticed these things so easily.

"I think it's cute," Magnus said suddenly.

"What?" Alec exclaimed in bewilderment.

"I mean, the fact that your face turns red easily, not that you sweat a lot. That's a little gross." Magnus went on, and smiled mischievously as he said so.

"Oh," Alec said slowly, not sure how else to react. "Thanks."

After passing the ball a few more times, the teacher finally decided it was time to start playing an actual game. Everyone was super excited for that—especially Jace. Football was Jace's favorite sport, after all.

It took a few minutes for the teacher to decided how to divide the teams, and who would be what position. Alec and Magnus were on one team, while Jace was on the other. Alec was on the offense side, and he offered to be center. Jace, being the pro and competitive player he was, insisted on being the middle linebacker, since it was his favorite position while in defense. Magnus quickly offered to be the quarterback, for some reason.

But as everyone took their positions, Alec soon started to suspect why Magnus wanted to be the quarterback. He wasn't exactly sure if it was a coincidence or if it was done on purpose, but when he looked back to stare at Magnus, Alec saw that his friend was chuckling.

"What?" Alec asked in a whisper.

Magnus tried to stop chuckling to himself before saying, "Nice view."

Alec immediately rolled his eyes and looked back towards Jace and the others, muttering, "Creep." He was suddenly feeling very awkward that Magnus was crouching so close behind him and nearly touching him. Not that it seemed to cause any suspicions to anyone else, but Alec was sure this was something that this strange new student had intended to do.

Other than that, gym class was pretty fun. Alec would always flinch when Magnus took his place behind him, and Magnus couldn't stop laughing quietly to himself. It's like he had accomplished something, and Alec was feeling all embarrassed.

That's why when the teams switched sides, Alec was relieved. Magnus was no longer right at his rear, but a little father back. Although Magnus always found a way to embarrass Alec. It was driving him insane. The worst part was that Jace's team had won.

"Well, today was a fun gym class!" Jace exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. He was happy that his team won, even though this was just for fun.

"I totally agree." Magnus nodded, glancing over at Alec and giving him a suggestive smile.

"Sure," Alec said, trying not to sound too annoyed. Jace wouldn't have taken it as anything serious, though. If Alec would have sounded all upset, Jace would just assume it was because his team lost. Not that Alec really cared about any of that stuff.

When Alec arrived in math class, Simon didn't look as upset as yesterday. When Alec asked how he was feeling about the Magnus and Isabelle situation, he answered that he wasn't that worried. Magnus seemed like a nice person, according to Simon, and apparently Isabelle didn't seem interested in _that _kind of way. Alec agreed, because otherwise Isabelle would be flirty and all over Magnus. She didn't seem to be doing any of that. Again, Alec wasn't sure why he was talking about his sister with his friend. It seemed sort of weird.

"You know, I'm not exactly sure why I'm talking to you about this stuff." Simon said exactly what Alec had thought before. The class had now finished, and the two friends were walking towards each others lockers.

"I'm not sure, either." Alec shrugged. "I mean, I sort of bring it up, but you're the one who continues on the conversation."

"Well, that's not my fault, is it?" Simon said in defense of himself.

"Can we just end these conversations and say that Magnus and Isabelle have nothing going on, and that you have nothing to sulk about anymore?" Alec asked him.

Simon stared at him surprisingly. "Yeah, I guess."

There were a few more minutes of silence before Simon spoke up again. "So, does that mean you'll let me go out with your sister?" he asked curiously, glancing at his friend.

Alec looked over at him with an unreadable face. He pursed his lips and shook his head, looking back him front of him.

"Alec, seriously..." Simon started, but decided to let it go. Obviously, Alec was done talking about who should date his sister. He didn't want to get into that sort of stuff. Especially with his friends, since it just made it more weird.

After going to their lockers, Alec and Simon had to split up, since Simon didn't have a car and took the bus instead. His mom couldn't pick him up since she worked even after school finished. She would usually come back from work a few hours after he got home.

This time, before heading outside, Alec met up with Jace, Clary, and both of his siblings. The five of them all headed out to the parking lot, easily finding the spot where they parked their car—usually they would park it at the same place every day.

For some reason, Alec found himself looking for Magnus' car, wanting to see if he had left for home yet. And at about the same place, there Magnus was. Again, he wasn't alone. Camille was standing next to him and his car, talking excitedly with him. After they had exchanged a few more words, Camille went around to the passengers seat, and Magnus got in his car soon afterward. Alec was a little shocked by that. But, why should he be? The two were childhood friends, after all.

He was so distracted, that Alec didn't hear Jace's voice calling his name. "Yo, Alec! Can you hear me?" he was saying.

"Huh? No, sorry." Alec said slowly.

"I said, I'll see you tomorrow. Geez, what were you looking at?" Jace asked, and Clary, Isabelle and Max were all there listening too.

"I was just... thinking. It's fine." Alec waved his hand in dismissal. "See you tomorrow."

Jace frowned for a second, but it soon disappeared and he no longer looked bothered. "Okay,"

As Alec sat down inside his car, he rummaged through his bag to find his keys. As he took it out, something feel out that was shoved next to it. It was a small white folded piece of paper, and it landed in between his and Isabelle's seat.

"What's this?" Isabelle frowned, and bent over to pick up the piece of paper. As she unfolded it and her eyes read the name and number, a smile appeared on her face. She seemed to be really amused.

"Izzy," Alec said hurriedly, taking his hand out towards her. "Give me the paper."

"This is Magnus' number, isn't it?" she said, ignoring her brother's request and waving the paper in front of her.

"You got Magnus' number?" Max asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, so?" Alec said while glancing over at his younger brother.

"So you like him, then?" Isabelle asked, smiling slyly.

"No!" Alec interjected, grabbing the paper from his sister's hand, stuffing it back in his bag. "It's just so we can help each other with homework and stuff."

"Right," Isabelle rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest. "You like him."

"I don't! Just shut up, Izzy." Alec said, his face starting to turn red out of embarrassment.

"Oh, look Max! He's blushing!" his sister said in a sing song voice, pointing at Alec's flushed face.

"Really?" Max asked, leaning over to get a look at his older brother.

"It's because you're making fun of me, so just stop!" Alec said angrily, tossing the bag at the empty seat beside Max. "Or else I'll make you guys walk."

"Okay, Mr. Sensitive." Isabelle said in a sarcastic voice, rolling her eyes. "Jesus."

Without another word, Alec finally drove out of the parking lot. Jace and Magnus were already gone from the school and were probably half way through their drive. Alec was trying not to scowl, but it was pretty hard not to. Isabelle and Max _were_ being annoying with him, after all.

* * *

It only took about ten minutes to get home, and as they got into the house, Maryse and Robert were nowhere to be seen. Of course, they were still at work, doing who knows what. Alec had stopped caring years ago. Same thing with Isabelle. It would only take another year or so before Max stopped caring about what their mom and dad were doing, too.

Usually, the three siblings would take a few minutes to relax and have a snack while sitting at the kitchen table. As much as Max wanted to watch something on the television, Alec had put both of his siblings in the habit of saving that for after they had done their homework. Because once Max and Isabelle were doing something other than homework, they couldn't stop.

Suddenly, Alec felt a vibration in his pocket—his cell phone. He thought it was just a text, but when it kept on buzzing over and over, Alec realized it was a phone call. Isabelle, who was texting someone on her phone, looked up in curiosity. Max, while still eating some cookies, was looking at his brother with the same confused and curious face.

With a frown, Alec took his phone out of his pocket and checked to see who was calling. When he saw that it was an unknown number, he was even more confused. Alec decided to answer it, anyway.

"Hello?" he said.

"Yes, is this Alec?" a very familiar and attractive voice asked.

"Magnus, is that you?" Alec said in bewilderment.

"You recognized my voice right away, sweetheart." Magnus sounded pleased about that.

"Sweetheart? That's a strange nickname." Alec said, glancing over at Isabelle who was smiling widely.

"I think it works." Magnus said. "But anyway, I just wanted to call and make sure I had the right number."

"Um... well, yeah, you do." Alec scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward all of a sudden. Isabelle and Max had put their full attention on him now.

"Great," Magnus said, and Alec could imagine the grin on his face. "Say, are Isabelle and Max there with you?"

Alec frowned, surprised he knew they were there. "Yeah, they are." he answered slowly.

"I thought so." Magnus said with a chuckle.

"How can you tell?" Alec asked.

"You sound so nervous, so I figured there was someone there listening to our conversation." Magnus explained. "There's no reason to be shy, sweetheart. I won't say anything embarrassing."

"Can you stop calling me that?" Alec said annoyingly. "It's... weird."

"Aw, how come? I think it's a perfect name for you." Magnus sounded genuinely disappointed. "How about darling?"

"Magnus," Alec groaned, placing his hand on his face in a tired way.

"Okay, okay. Fine. Be that way." Magnus pouted. "Can I call you later?"

"Why?"

"Just to talk." he answered. "Unless you don't want to."

"I don't know..." Alec said, trailing off.

"How about I text you, then?"

"Well..." Alec glanced at his sister and brother, who were still listening intently.

"Or maybe I could call your home phone." Magnus suggested.

"What? No, just text me later or something." Alec answered, completely dismissing the suggestion.

"Whatever you want, sweetheart." Magnus said in a cheerful voice.

"Stop calling me that!"

"Fine, fine... _darling_."

"Ugh, you're impossible." Alec sighed heavily.

"It's what I do." Magnus said. "Text you later, Alec."

"Bye," Alec said, and then hung up his cell phone. He set it back down on the table, staring down at the phone tiredly.

All of sudden, Isabelle and Max started laughing. Alec glared at them, really annoyed by their childishness. He could understand that Max would act this way—he was still young and a little immature—but he didn't expect Isabelle to be this annoying. She was only a year younger than Alec!

"Shut up," Alec scowled.

"Oh come on, your expressions were hilarious!" Isabelle said, an arm wrapped around her stomach from laughter. "I don't know what Magnus said, but it was still funny!"

"Okay, are you done now?" Alec asked after Isabelle kept on laughing. Max wasn't laughing as much—he was just chuckling while eating his darn cookies. Alec really wanted to slap them.

"Yeah... okay... I'm done." Isabelle said in between breaths. She wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek, from how much she was laughing.

"It wasn't that funny, Iz." Alec sighed.

"Yes, it was." Isabelle said in disagreement. She then glanced over at her brother's phone. "You should add Magnus' number into your cell phone, in case he texts you soon. Or if he calls you again."

"I'll get to that. No worries, Izzy." Alec said bitterly, shoving his phone back into his pocket and grabbing his bag before getting out of the kitchen.

"Okay, then. Bye!" Isabelle called after him happily. Clearly she was still pleased by all that teasing she had done.

Alec rolled his eyes and quickly headed up the stairs and into his room. He slammed the door behind him and tossed his bag at the foot of his bed. The first thing he did was take out the small piece of paper with Magnus' name and number on it. He stared at the paper in his hands for a minute, shaking his head. How did he get into this situation, exactly?

After entering Magnus' name and number in his cell, Alec reached back into his bag and pulled out all of his needed stuff for doing his boring homework. Most of it was fairly easy for him, but it was still pretty boring.

After about an hour, Alec had finished all of his homework. Exhausted, he sat back in his chair and leaned his head back a little, closing his eyes. He had managed to drift off into a light sleep. Alec wasn't sure how long he had sat there sleeping, but what had woken him up was a loud knocking at the door.

Alec shot his head up, glancing at his door in surprise. "What?" he asked.

"It's me," Isabelle said. "I need a bit of help with my math homework."

Alec let out a loud sigh, and cursed himself for not being able to say no. "Fine. Get in here."

Isabelle opened the door and quickly stepped inside, her open binder in hand. She gave him a sweet smile as she closed the door behind her, and walked towards her brother.

"What's Max doing?" Alec decided to ask out of curiosity.

"Watching cartoons." Isabelle answered.

Alec pursed his lips, but decided to let it slide for now. Max probably didn't have too much homework, anyway. Alec would make him do it after supper.

After Isabelle had grabbed a chair and sat down next to her brother, Alec started to explain the math homework, sounding a little tired. Here he was helping his sister who had made fun of him not too long ago. But Alec was a good brother, and wouldn't let Isabelle fail math.

When Isabelle had done a few questions from her homework, she decided to ask a question Alec was not expecting at all.

"So, did Magnus text you yet?" she asked.

Alec looked over at her confusingly. "What? No, he didn't. Why do you care?"

"I just want to know what he would have said, that's all." Isabelle said with a shrug.

"Can we just concentrate on your homework, please?" Alec said tiredly.

"Okay, fine. But I bet you anything that Magnus will text you soon." Isabelle said with a smile playing on her lips.

Before Alec could say anything else, he felt a vibration in his pocket. Feeling nervous, he slowly took it out of his pocket and saw that he got a text... from Magnus.

_Hey there, sweetheart :)_

Looking over her brother's shoulder, Isabelle grinned from ear to ear, trying to hide a chuckle. Alec wanted to chuck his phone across the room out of anger with himself and his annoying sister.

"God dammit, Izzy."

**Second chapter done! Hopefully you guys liked it as much as I loved writing it! I kept it at about the same length, since you guys seemed to have liked the long chapter. Also, I'd like to add that I don't really know much about tackle football, so I had to search up on it. I hope I didn't make any mistakes about the positions and stuff. Oh, and another thing, just to make things clear... the Sebastian in this story is NOT Clary's brother. He's the real Sebastian. I have a special place for Jonathan (Clary's real brother), who will be coming probably next chapter. Lastly, Camille is finally introduced to the story! She's going to be pretty important from now on, so keep that in mind. Well, that's it. Bye! :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, you guys don't know how happy I am by all the amazing reviews! I know I've already said this, but thank you all so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows! It definitely means so much to me. :) And now, I will not waste anymore time, and you can all read the long-awaited third chapter. I hope you enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own. Maybe one day. One day...**

Chapter Three

The first week of school passed by pretty quickly for Alec. Even though there was already a lot of homework and things to be done, he didn't mind too much. It was the last year of high school, after all. The teachers were preparing everyone to enter the real world, which was going to be much more difficult.

For that past week, it had been pretty interesting for Alec. He had met the very interesting new student, Magnus Bane, and it's been no picnic ever since. Isabelle and Max—well, mostly Isabelle—had been teasing him about the sparkly student every time they would call each other or just text. Alec never knew his sister could be so nosy and annoying.

Magnus was even more annoying, though. The two were now friends, you could say, but it didn't mean that he no longer drove Alec insane. If it was possible, Magnus had gotten worse. Every time they had gym class, Magnus had to find some way to tease Alec. In science, he wouldn't stop poking him with his pencil and asking the most random questions. And worst of all, during lunch, he would embarrass Alec in front of all of his friends. Even Jordan and Sebastian weren't as bad.

Another thing Alec had noticed was that Camille spent a lot of time with Magnus, too. Every day after school, she would get a ride from him. Alec wasn't sure if Camille had her own car, or if her parents didn't let her drive their own cars, or whatever. She seemed to prefer going with Magnus, over anything. When Alec asked Magnus what that was all about, he explained that he only dropped her off at her house.

Alec wasn't exactly sure why it was bothering him. He liked Camille; she seemed very nice and polite. Besides, it's not like Magnus was the kind of guy to be rejected. He seemed to be the kind of guy to reject everyone else. He was just confused about why he was feeling that way. Then there was Jace, being... well, _Jace_. A lot of people found him extremely annoying, but Alec somehow loved everything about his best friend.

It was the end of the day, and practices for sports teams were finally taking place. The first week of school was when everyone could join the clubs they wanted. Magnus, Camille and Clary had joined the Art Club, like they had anticipated. Maia joined the Drama Club, and Simon joined the Tech Club. Alec and the others preferred sports.

Usually, there would be a few practices in one day, at different places and slightly different times. Today, Alec, Jace, Jordan, Sebastian and Isabelle all had practice on the same day. Alec and Sebastian were on the soccer team, Jace and Jordan were on the football team, and Isabelle was on the cheerleading squad, per usual.

Soccer practice started right away, so Alec and Sebastian had changed into the proper clothes right after the last bell had rung. When they made their way to the soccer field outside, Alec had surprisingly spotted Magnus standing near the field, looking around. Alec held in his breath, wanting to face palm if it weren't for Sebastian walking right beside him.

"Alec, there you are!" Magnus exclaimed, once he spotted his friend.

"Magnus, were you waiting here for me?" Alec asked him slowly.

"Yes, of course. I wanted to watch you during practice." Magnus explained, grinning from ear to ear.

"What about me? Here to cheer me on?" Sebastian cut in.

"Hm... sure." the sparkly student shrugged. And he was especially sparkly today, too. Instead of blue dye in his hair, it was purple. There were a lot of sparkles and jell in his hair to spike it up. Magnus had matching purple jeans, and a white shredded-like shirt with a black undershirt. Since it was a little chilly, he wore a darker purple leather jacket over his thin shirt. He wore makeup, as usual. Alec wasn't sure if he was imagining things, but Magnus' face seemed to be sparkling, too.

Sebastian made a face. "You don't have to lie. I know you only came here for Alec."

"Okay." Magnus nodded. "Then I'm just here for Alec."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, and chuckled lightly. "Typical."

"Where's Camille?" Alec asked curiously.

"She left with some of her other friends." Magnus answered, glancing back at Alec. "They're all doing their homework together, or something."

"Oh, okay." Alec said simply. He was a little glad that Camille wasn't here now.

"Well, I'm going to join the other guys before practice starts." Sebastian told Alec, before jogging over to the field with the other soccer players.

"You should go too, sweetheart." Magnus suggested. "I want to see how good you are."

"You're never going to stop calling me that, are you?" Alec asked, exasperated.

"Either that, or darling. Your choice, really." his friend answered with a silly grin.

With a sigh and a roll of the eyes, Alec started to walk towards the soccer field, where Sebastian and the others were. Magnus stopped at the end of the field, where the other player's friends were there to watch.

"Ready?" Sebastian asked Alec with a wide smile on his face. The two of them had always been considered the two best players on the team. During practice, they gave it their all, to show the coach that they meant business.

"Definitely." Alec said, for once sounding confident. He was only confident when it came to his best sport and subjects.

When everyone started to do some drills, he told himself to not look in Magnus' direction, or else he would probably get distracted. Magnus would definitely find a way to embarrass him or humiliate him in some sort of way.

So, instead, Alec decided to glance at his supporting friend only after they had finished practice completely. Even though he could hear Magnus cheering him on, he didn't look. He wanted to concentrate as much as possible. He could hear the coach telling him to keep up the good work, and Sebastian would pat him on the back after he had successfully finished a drill.

When Alec could take a break, he decided to go see his sparkly friend. He had left his water bottle and his gym bag next to Magnus—who was standing next to everyone else's stuff, too. He took big gulps from his bottle, being very thirsty. Alec was already sweating, but wasn't out of breath or anything.

"That was awesome, Alec!" Magnus exclaimed. "You looked really good out there."

"Thanks," Alec said, dropping his water bottle next to his bag. He pushed his bangs out of the way and wiped his forehead.

"You know, I take back what I said last week." Magnus said after a few minutes of silence. "You look absolutely divine when you're covered in sweat."

Alec blushed and took a step back. "Would you stop embarrassing me like that?"

"Embarrassing you? I'm only speaking the truth, darling." Magnus said simply. "I would only be embarrassing you if I said that in front of Sebastian."

And just as Magnus spoke those last words, said person had run towards them. Sebastian was also sweating a little, but he didn't look very tired either. "What would be embarrassing?" he asked, reaching down for his bottle and taking a swig.

Alec glanced at Magnus with a warning look on his face. Magnus glanced back at him and winked, as if saying the situation was under control.

"I was just saying it would be embarrassing if I told you that Alec likes to dress in Isabelle's clothes." Magnus said seriously, and Alec glared at him.

Sebastian nearly spat out the water he was drinking. He burst into laughter and looked over at Alec with wide eyes. "You don't _actually_ do that, do you?"

"No, of course not. Magnus is just being an idiot." Alec spat, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Ouch." Magnus said, placing a hand over his heart. "That's going to leave a permanent scar, Alec."

Alec only rolled his eyes, knowing that his silly friend was only messing around. Sebastian was still chuckling, but didn't ask further into the subject.

After the two hours had passed, Alec, Sebastian and the others were finally done with practice. The two players had to go get changed back in the changing rooms. Magnus told them he would wait outside of the rooms.

As they were heading towards the school building, they passed the football field, where football practice was taking place. Alec could spot Jace and Jordan, doing all of those drills along with all the other football players. Jace seemed to stand out compared to everyone else, Alec noticed. Jace was a natural at sports, especially football. He was a natural leader—the quarterback. To Alec, Jace was the best out of all the other guys. He found himself staring at his best friend with a big smile on his face.

"What are you staring at?" Magnus said very close to his ear.

Alec jumped a little in surprised, and turned to Magnus with a shocked expression. "Huh? I... I was looking at all the football players practicing." he answered, stumbling over his words a little.

Magnus chuckled. "Is that so?" he said. "Jace looks pretty good out there, doesn't he?"

Alec's cheeks started to flush, and he wanted to slap himself silly right now. "Yeah, he does."

"Of course, he's the quarterback again. The coach always suggests that he be that position." Sebastian added, and Alec almost forgot he was there.

"Yeah, that's true." Alec nodded.

"And Jordan is a great tackle. He's like a brick wall when he plays." Sebastian went on.

Alec blushed even more, realizing he hadn't been thinking about Jordan at all—just Jace. Jordan was a very good football player, Alec had to admit, but there was just something about Jace... Alec shook his head, dismissing all thoughts about his best friend and secret crush. "For sure."

Magnus started to chuckle, and Alec glanced over at him with a curious look on his face. "What are you laughing at?"

"At you, of course." he said. "Your faces are priceless."

Alec took on a serious expression and sighed heavily. Since Magnus seemed to be noticing the faces he was making, he decided to stop looking over at Jace and the others. Once they got at the changing rooms, Magnus leaned against the wall right next to the door. Alec and Sebastian took about five minutes to get changed and put everything in their gym bag. They met up with Magnus as soon as they stepped outside of the changing rooms.

"So, what are you guys going to do now? Head home or something?" Magnus asked.

"Well, I always wait for Jace. What are you going to do, Seb?" Alec explained, glancing over at his friend.

"I'm not in a hurry to get home. Guess I'll just follow your around until you leave too." he answered with a shrug.

With that said, the three guys all made their way back outside. They quickly made their way to the football field, where the players were finishing up their practice. Isabelle, Alec now remembered, was doing cheerleading practice in the smaller gym of the school, along with the other girls on her team. Usually the cheerleading squad would finish their practices last, so Alec always had to wait a little longer for her. Max would take turns watching either Jace, Isabelle or Alec during practice, not wanting to decided in between the three. Personally, Alec didn't care, but let his little brother do what he wanted.

Max was watching Jace practice today, along with Clary and Maia. Isabelle had asked Simon to watch her during practice, and he didn't complain at all. Alec started to get a little suspicious with those two, but didn't do anything about it yet.

"Hey guys!" Max greeted happily, jumping up from the bench he was sitting on. Clary and Maia greeted them with smiles.

"How was practice?" Clary asked both Alec and Sebastian.

"It went very well. Alec and I were owning the field." Sebastian answered, puffing out his chest proudly. Alec only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Alec was amazing." Magnus added, and then got a glare from the other soccer player. "Oh, right. Sebastian was good too." he said in a joking way.

"That's good," Maia smiled. "Jace and Jordan did very well."

"Oh yeah, Alec noticed that." Magnus put in, and Alec punched him in the arm. His sparkly friend placed a hand over his arm and smiled sweetly.

Max frowned, looking very confused. "Why did you just punch Magnus?" he asked him.

"Yeah, Alec, why did you punch me?" Magnus asked, trying to sound hurt. "That was very rude."

"I think I'm going to punch you again." Alec snapped, looking even more angry.

"Just ignore them. Magnus has been teasing Alec since practice ended." Sebastian said, waving his hand in dismissal.

"I see," Clary smiled, trying to hide a laugh.

After a few more minutes, Jace and Jordan were finally done their practice and both walked over to their friends, looking a little exhausted and out of breath, both sweating a little. Clary and Maia immediately got up to greet their boyfriends.

"I can't wait to get home and take a freaking shower." Jordan said, hugging Maia tightly.

"Nasty." Jace said, scrunching his nose. "You're hugging your smelly and sweaty boyfriend."

Maia only laughed. "I don't mind."

Jace turned to his own girlfriend. "How come you won't hug me when I'm all gross like that?" he asked her.

Clary rolled her eyes. "I never said that. You're the one who keeps telling me I shouldn't hug you when you're all sweaty." she explained.

"Oh, she's got you there, Jace." Maia said, and Jordan chuckled.

"I just wish I had a girlfriend to hug." Sebastian said, sagging his shoulders and looking all sad.

"Aw, poor little Sebastian." Jace said. "At least you still have your mommy to hug, right?"

"Shut the hell up." Sebastian snapped, but you could tell he wasn't actually insulted. He was trying to hide a small smile.

"Well, think about it. Poor Alec doesn't have a girlfriend, either. Neither does Magnus." Jordan said, trying to comfort his friend.

"I'm not exactly sure why I'm still single." Magnus admitted, glancing over at Alec. "Surprising, isn't it, Alec?"

Alec only raised his eyebrows in response. "Why are you asking me?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I don't know..." Magnus smiled and shrugged lightly.

"I don't have a girlfriend either, Sebastian. You don't have to worry." Max said, glancing over at the older student.

"Yeah, but you're like twelve. That's normal." Sebastian stated.

"You're still twelve? I thought you were in grade eight." Jordan said.

"My birthday's in October, that's why." Max explained, looking a little annoyed. The poor guy was never taken seriously.

Before anyone could say anything else, someone had walked over to them. The guy had blond hair—almost white, and very dark eyes. He had a sort of superiority to himself as he walked with his head held high. He was dressed for practice—football practice, to be specific. He was also pretty tall.

"Hello," he greeted coolly, his hands in his sweater pockets. Everyone had stopped and looked over at him in alarm. Alec immediately recognized who he was, and he could tell everyone else knew who he was, too—except for Magnus.

Clary was first to speak up. "What do you want, Jonathan?" she asked.

"Such unfamiliarity." Jonathan said, smiling slyly. "How about calling me brother sometimes?"

"I'll call you what I want, thank you." Clary snapped, inching closer to Jace, who had his arm wrapped around her in a protective way.

Clary's brother chuckled softly and shrugged in response. Alec had to admit, Jonathan was pretty good-looking. His movements were graceful, and he was great with people. However, he was an ass. But that was a long story.

"So, what did you come here for? I'm sure not to talk, since you're apparently too good for all of us." Jace asked, looking at him seriously.

"Actually, I came here to ask my sister if she would want a ride home." Jonathan explained. "She's always getting rides from her boyfriend, I thought she'd like a change for once."

"No, I'm good." Clary answered. "I actually like getting rides from Jace."

"Is that so?" Jonathan crinkled his nose in a disgusted way. "Hm... how strange."

"What is that supposed to mean, exactly?" Jace demanded.

"Just that you're not as great as you think, Mr. Quarterback." Clary's brother said with a smirk.

"Oh, is that so? Last time I checked, I'm a pretty good boyfriend. Ask you sister." Jace spat back.

"She must have low standards if she's dating someone like you." Jonathan said vehemently.

"Why, you little bastard! Wait until I-" Jace started, walking over to him, his hands clenched into fists. Alec and Jordan stepped up and grabbed him by the arms, stopping him from going any further.

"Jace, calm down. He's just messing with you." Alec reassured.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're a great boyfriend." Jordan reassured him, although it was probably a silly thing to say.

Jonathan laughed, shaking his head. "How pathetic. You won't even let him fight me. I guess you all know he wouldn't stand a chance." he said.

"Okay, just stop!" Clary yelled angrily. "Jonathan, please get out of here."

Her brother rolled his eyes, keeping his hands in his sweater pockets. "Fine, whatever." he said lazily. "I just came here to ask you a question. I don't know why it had to turn into a big deal." With that, he walked away with that same superiority in every step he took.

"Well, he's very rude." Magnus was first to speak up. "He didn't even introduce himself to me."

"It's best if he didn't." Jace said angrily. "He's a total dick."

"Yeah, he bashes on all of us for no reason. But you know, that's why we don't hang out with him." Sebastian explained.

"But, he's on the freaking football team with us. He's center, and we have to see him every damn day from now on..." Jordan mumbled.

"And Clary doesn't seem to mind that you guys are hating on _him_." Magnus pointed out.

"Trust me, they have the right to say mean things about him. He was never that nice to me when we were kids. He's just trying to make up for it now, and he's failing miserably." Clary said, sounding annoyed that her brother had shown up like that.

"Hm, I see. I guess it's a good thing that I'm an only child." Magnus shrugged.

"Okay, I'm going over to get Izzy. Her practice should be done by now." Alec announced, wanting to change the subject and immediately forget Jonathan. Alec didn't like him at all either; Clary's brother had always hated him for some reason, when he had done nothing wrong to begin with.

"I'll go with you. Then we can head out, I guess." Jace said, finally calmed down.

"So will I." Magnus announced, glancing over at Alec with a wink.

Sebastian, Jordan, and Maia all decided to head out instead. After saying their goodbyes, the group of friends each split ways. Clary was following Jace, and Max had to come, of course.

When they got into the gym, Isabelle was there among her other cheerleading friends, finishing up their practice. They were talking about what they were going to be doing for the next few days, so Alec and the others all waited with Simon, who was seated on a bench by himself.

"Having fun watching Isabelle?" Jace asked him, smiling slyly.

"Well, I would say exactly how fun it was, but since Alec is sitting right there, I won't say anything." Simon answered, glancing at Isabelle's brother as if he wished he wasn't there. Alec only rolled his eyes in response.

"I see how it is." Jace nodded his head in approval.

Clary slapped her best friend on the arm. "You're terrible, Simon. I can't believe you're such a pervert." she said lightly.

Simon glanced over at her and smiled. "I don't know what you were thinking, but I was talking about Isabelle's techniques." he explained.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Right, whatever. I'm not as innocent as you might think." she explained, nudging Simon playfully.

"Oh, really?" he said in disbelief. "Jace, what have you done to my best friend?"

Jace was trying not to laugh as he said, "You don't really want to know that." Clary punched him in the arm.

"You know, I know what you guys are talking about." Max pointed out. "And it's really gross."

"Yeah, so can you guys stop saying those things in front of my brother?" Alec asked seriously. Magnus burst into laughter, as well as everyone else.

"Sorry, Alec." Jace said with a wide smile on his face. Alec shrugged and looked the other direction, hiding his blush.

Finally, Isabelle's practice had officially ended, so she went up to her group of friends and greeted them happily. "I'll just go get changed and I'll meet you back out here." she said quickly, turning around and sprinting to the changing rooms. Simon was staring after her with a weird grin on his face.

"Stop staring at my sister's ass, Simon." Alec growled, and when Simon jerked his head in his direction with a surprised look, Jace and Magnus started to laugh again. Max and Clary didn't look very amused.

"I was not staring at her ass." he said in defense of himself, but Alec didn't want to hear it. Simon was hiding a smile, so it was obvious he was lying.

After a few minutes, Isabelle came out of the changing rooms, back in her normal clothes. She had been wearing shorts and a half shirt; her hair had also been up in a tight ponytail. She looked about ready to go home—she was also a little sweaty and looked like she wanted to take a shower. "Let's head home now, please. I've got homework to do." she explained.

"I think we all want to head home at this point." Alec sighed, getting up from the bench. He was pretty tired, and was really looking forward to a hot shower.

Everyone agreed on that—they were all tired of staying at school for so long, so even the people who didn't have practice were exhausted after a long stay. Jace and Clary went together in his car, Magnus went alone in his own car, and Alec drove his siblings home in his car, as usual.

"See you tomorrow, sweetheart." Magnus had managed to whisper his goodbye to Alec before heading over to his Camry. Alec was getting very confused with the weird nicknames he was always given.

Alec was even more confused about why Magnus kept on calling him that. Was it because he knew that it embarrassed him every time he called him sweetheart or darling? Was it because he actually thought those nicknames suited him? Alec kept on thinking about that, distracting and confusing himself until he got to his car.

The only clear thing he understood was that Isabelle was way too exhausted to even make fun of him and Magnus the whole ride home.

* * *

The next day at school, Alec had been distracted thinking about Magnus, and what kind of person he was. For the past week, he had tried to figure out why he was always so charming with people and whatnot. The thing that was bothering Alec the most was knowing if Magnus was gay or not.

Now, he suspected that he was right from the start. It was clear from the way he looked. He dressed in fashionable clothes and wore makeup and glitter. However, he didn't act that gay when it came to Camille or anyone else besides Alec. So, that caused Alec to have some doubts.

He wasn't sure how else to figure out besides asking Magnus himself, but Alec had figured out something. He could ask Camille—Magnus' childhood friend and probably the person who knew him the most compared to anyone else at school.

The only way he could talk to Camille was at lunch or after school. Since she was alone with Magnus after classes had finished, he decided it would be best during lunch, when everyone was all together in a group.

When everyone was in line, Alec quickly stepped in next to Camille. He made sure Magnus wasn't talking to her—he was busy talking about art and design with Clary, anyway—and then quickly got to the matter at hand. Alec was a very straightforward person when it came to a lot of things, actually.

"Hey, Camille, can I ask you a question? It's been bothering me for a few days." Alec started.

Camille looked at him confusingly, but nodded her head anyway. "Sure, what is it?"

"Well... you see, I've had these suspicions lately about Magnus. He's been getting on my nerves and embarrassing me all the time. He did that yesterday during my practice, actually." Alec explained. "Is he gay or something?"

At first, Camille stood there, not saying anything. Alec was afraid he might have insulted her or Magnus in some way. But eventually, she cracked a smile. "He's bi, actually."

Alec took on a startled look, not expected her to answer so directly. "Really?" he said in disbelief. "Well, that kind of makes sense..."

"Does it?" Camille laughed. "Magnus has always been the social type. He likes to get along with everyone. Well, with people he likes, that is."

"Wait, does that mean he likes me? Not many people go up and decide to make friends with me. I'm not very social." Alec explained.

Camille only shrugged. "I guess he sees you past your awkwardness. You _are _pretty plain, but I guess he likes your personality. You two are almost complete opposites."

Alec gave a small smile. "Yeah, I noticed. He's all... in your face. I'm... not." he said slowly.

"I think it's funny how he wants to be your friend." Camille admitted. "But he does seem to actually like you. I'm guessing he's just teasing you all the time because you're so easy to get to. Do your friends do that to you, too?"

"Yeah, they do." Alec answered. He didn't want to add that Magnus had done it a lot more that anyone else lately.

When everyone had seated themselves at a cafeteria table, Alec was still deep in thought about what Camille had told him. He was a little surprised that she had told him straight out. She seemed to be a little different, when she would talk to Alec. Had he done something wrong? Or maybe... he was just exaggerating and just over thinking everything. Alec had figured out what he wanted about Magnus, and that was that.

After lunch, Alec had English, so he walked with Jace to class. Jace was all excited, talking about how this football season was going to be the best one yet. Alec didn't say much, he just nodded his head or added a few words to the conversation. Jace didn't take it as anything serious. He probably just suspected that Alec was tired from practice yesterday, which was partly true. Truth was, Alec was still confused about everything. He kept telling himself there was nothing wrong, but he just couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Hey, Alec," Jace whispered, the class all quiet since they were all reading. Alec glanced over at him surprisingly, looking up from his own book.

"This might be very random... but I've noticed you've been looking a little gloomy these past few days." Jace explained, still whispering as to make sure no one could hear them. "Are you doing okay?"

Alec stared at him wide eyed. So, he _had _noticed he'd been acting different. He wasn't acting gloomy or anything, but he had thought deeply about a lot of things, not really saying much to anyone. Alec could guess why Jace thought he was sad.

"Well, I've been really confused, you could say. I'm fine, really." Alec reassured him, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them.

"Are you sure?" Jace asked him. "Maybe you... oh, I don't know, want a girlfriend or something?"

Alec's heart suddenly felt tight with grief. It was times like these that he wished Jace knew how Alec felt about him, that he didn't want a _girlfriend_. Alec always knew he could never have his best friend as more than that, but he always hoped it could come true. There was always a small string of hope in his heart, but now it was coming undone. "What...? You know I already told you I don't want one." he said.

"I know that, but is that really true? I mean, it just looks really depressing that you've never had a girlfriend before, when everyone else has dated someone." Jace went on. "I just thought... I could help you."

At first, Alec stayed quiet, not saying anything. He didn't know what else to say. If he refused, Jace would be even more suspicious, and would start questioning his sexuality. Alec didn't want that to happen. He always thought that if Jace figured out he was gay, he wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore. That the thought of him liking Jace was disgusting. So, what could he do, exactly?

"I don't know, Jace. You really don't have to do that for me. It's too much trouble." Alec decided that was the safest thing to say.

"Come on, Alec. You and I are like brothers. I'd do anything to prevent you from dying alone." Jace insisted. Surprisingly, no one was looking in their direction from their constant whispering. It wasn't the first time that the two would talk non-stop during class. Maybe everyone just stopped caring, and let them do what they wanted.

"I think you're exaggerating a little. Just because I haven't dated in high school doesn't mean I'll die alone." Alec said in disagreement.

Jace smiled brightly. "Right, I think I did exaggerate just a little. But still... what do you say?"

Alec let out a small sigh, looking away and silently cursing himself for possibly everything he was. He looked back at Jace and tried to smile. "Well, I guess so."

Jace nudged Alec playfully. "There you go, bro." he said. "You won't regret this, I swear."

Alec could only nod his head, trying to look convincing that he was agreeing with him. His heart fluttered as Jace kept on smiling at him, looking absolutely positive his plan would work.

* * *

The next morning, Jace and Alec had gym class first, and they meet up with Magnus on the way to the changing rooms. Alec was glad Jace didn't mention the conversation they had in English yesterday to Magnus, although he wasn't sure why. Maybe he was afraid to see his reaction. Or maybe he just wouldn't care and support the idea. Alec didn't know Magnus all that well yet—he was a very confusing guy.

It was the second week of school, and the last week of football in gym class. Basically, they would play a sport for two weeks, and then change it to another one, letting it go on for another two weeks. Alec enjoyed the idea, since there were a lot of sports he found fun. He really hoped they would play soccer next.

"Say, Alec," Magnus started, once they had started class. "How about we make some sort of deal in this class."

At that, Jace was very curious, and decided to listen too. "What kind of deal?" he asked.

"Well, you see, since the three of us are friends, and we can only be in groups of two, I had an idea." Magnus started. "For the first week, you were with Jace, passing the ball around and stuff like that. So, how about one week you're teamed up with him, and the other week, you're with me."

"That's your idea?" Alec asked him surprisingly.

"Yes, isn't it brilliant?" Magnus said with a dazzling smile.

Jace looked deep in thought for a moment, then he slowly nodded his head. "I guess it seems fair enough." he said. "Alec gets to be with us during those two weeks, while we're stuck picking another partner." That last part was a little sarcastic, but you could tell Jace was joking.

"Great," Magnus said, clapping his hands together. "Should I be with Alec for the rest of the week?"

"He's all yours." Jace said, patting his best friend on the back, while Alec blushed slightly. "It'll give me some time to think about what we were talking about yesterday, anyway." he went on, looking over at Alec with a mischievous smile. He then walked away, quickly finding another partner. Jace had a lot of friends, after all.

"Is there a specific reason about why you wanted to be my partner?" Alec asked after they had started to pass the ball around.

Magnus shrugged. "Not really. I just thought it would be nice for us to be partners. Don't you agree, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that in front of everyone!" Alec snapped, looking around nervously. He was afraid someone might have heard him.

"Why? It's not like anyone's listening. Everyone else is chatting, too." Magnus explained, looking unfazed. And he was right, because everyone was talking loudly to each other, talking about the most random things.

"Okay, but still. Don't call me that when someone can actually hear you." Alec went on.

"Why?" Magnus asked again, tilting his head to the side.

"Because... guys would think it's weird, and... well, you know..." Alec didn't know how to explain it, and he sighed in annoyance. "Look, just don't, okay?"

Magnus chuckled. "It's so funny when you get all flustered, sweetheart."

Alec rolled his eyes and made a sound that sounded almost like an angry growl. "You can be so annoying sometimes."

"You're just too easy, Alec dearest." the sparkly student explained, and they kept on passing the football in silence. Magnus had a wide smile on his face, and Alec was scowling.

"Say, I've meant to ask you something." Magnus said after a few more minutes. The teacher was talking to some students who had probably been asking him a question. Alec hoped they would be playing a game soon.

"Okay, what is it?" Alec was afraid of what he might say.

"What's up with Jonathan? I mean, everyone says he an ass, and we all should avoid him, but what happened?" Magnus asked, sounding serious for once. Alec was surprised; he wasn't expecting him to bring up Clary's brother like that.

"Well, Clary's parents are divorced." Alec started. "Clary's dad was a real jackass, and Jonathan had his exact same personality and looks. So, when their parents split, it was really upsetting for Jonathan because he and his father were very close."

"So, because their dad left, Jonathan started becoming an ass?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah, you could say that." Alec nodded. "He was always a mean person since he was little, apparently. But when their dad left, it got worse. Clary had said that he was always mean to her, and made fun of her and stuff like that. As they grew up, he started to think that no one was good for him, so he was always being obnoxious. He started acting like that during high school, when we had all met him."

"How did he treat you guys, then?" the sparkly student said curiously.

"He hated us as soon as he saw us, for some reason. He hates Jace the most, but he still doesn't like any of us and hates that we're all friends with his sister. I honestly have _no idea_ why he doesn't like us. I've never really spoken to him directly, so I don't necessarily know why he acts like that." Alec went on.

"Hm... how interesting." Magnus looked actually interested by the short story. Alec hated to explain things in detail and go on and on for no reason. He liked to keep things simple and try and shorten the story as much as possible.

"Why did you want to know, anyway?" Alec asked him.

"I was just curious, is all." his friend answered with a small smile. "Thanks for explaining, sweetheart."

Alec sagged his shoulders. "Yeah, okay."

After the teacher had finally decided to start an actual game, Alec was very relieved. He didn't mind talking with Magnus all that much; he just really wanted to play football. Jace loved the sport even more, but Alec found it pretty fun too.

Before the game had started, or before anyone could take their positions, Magnus walked over to Alec. "Hey I just had an idea, after having that conversation with you." he said.

Alec wasn't sure if he wanted to know his idea, but he let him say it anyway. "What's your idea?"

Magnus smiled mischievously. "I think I should introduce myself to Jonathan."

**There goes my failed attempted on a (sort of) cliffhanger! :P Oh well, I already have an idea on how I'll be continuing the next chapter, so ending it here seemed to be a good idea. Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter! I know there wasn't too much happening, but the main point of this chapter was to introduce Jonathan to the story. I still haven't decided if he's going to be that important, but we'll see... anyway! I'll try and update once a week from now on (usually on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday the latest). So, please review! Bye! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Here is chapter four. I hope you all enjoy it! :)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own the Mortal Instruments... Cassandra Clare and I will be having a talk about that.**

Chapter Four

Alec stared at Magnus in disbelief. Had he actually just said what he thought he said? Did he want to introduce himself to Jonathan, the guy that everyone hated and avoided? "You want to do what?"

Magnus only shrugged in response. "Oh, come on. It's not that big of a deal." he said. "I want to see what all the fuss is about."

"Trust me, that's not a good idea, Magnus. Just stay out of Jonathan's way, and you'll be okay." Alec tried to convince him of _not _going along with his plan.

"Why not? Alec, I know what I'm doing. I'll just introduce myself and then I'll be able to see how bad he is." Magnus reassured him.

"If you want to get into this big mess, go right ahead." Alec said, putting his hands up in defense of himself. He thought it was such a bad idea, though. He couldn't let Magnus just go up to Jonathan and say who knows what. For all he knew, he could insult him in front of everyone and cause a fight.

"I think you're exaggerating." Magnus said. "I'm doing it whether you want me to or not."

Alec let out a heavy sigh. "There's no stopping you, is there?"

Magnus smiled widely, as if proud of his stubbornness. "Of course not, sweetheart."

"Well, when are you going to introduce yourself?" Alec asked him.

"I was thinking after his football practice. Since I watch you during your own practice after school, I figured it would be a good idea." his sparkly friend answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, fine. But I want to be there." Alec said finally.

"You can bring the whole gang if you want. It really doesn't matter to me." Magnus shrugged, and looked over at the other students in the gym class. Most of them were still talking, since the teacher was having a conversation with a student about something.

"Will Camille be there after school this time?" Alec asked suddenly, realizing she hadn't been there for both practices, which was a little surprising, since she was almost always with her best friend.

"No, she doesn't really like sports. She finds it boring to watch people practice." Magnus answered, and grinned at Alec mischievously. "I love to watch you practice, though."

Before the startled student could say anything, the teacher blew the whistle, which meant he wanted everyone to assemble in a group. Alec didn't waste his time and ran over to the teacher, Magnus following beside him.

When Alec caught up with Jace, and they were all dividing the teams and giving each other positions, he just had to tell him about Magnus' plan. Said person was standing right there beside them, too.

"Guess what Magnus wants to do after football practice today?" he asked him.

"Uh... run around the field butt naked?" Jace guessed, shrugging his shoulders with a confused look on his face.

"I wish I could. Wouldn't you want to see me do that?" Magnus asked him, wiggling his eyebrows.

Jace opened his mouth to answer, but Alec didn't want them to go off topic. "No, that's not it." he said. "He wants to introduce himself to Jonathan."

"What do you mean?" Jace asked, his eyebrows knitted together. "You mean a 'Hey, how's it going? Let's be friends.' sort of introduction?"

"Not necessarily." Magnus answered. "You'll have to be there to find out."

"I'll be there whether I like it or not. I have to see that stupid piece of shit every single day from now on, remember?" Jace explained glumly.

"Well, so does Jordan." Alec said with a shrug.

"Okay, but Jordan doesn't have to be behind his ass when we're playing." Jace pointed out.

"You're fault for being the quarterback, Jace." Alec stated, pointing a finger at him.

"It's not _my _fault I'm extremely talented, _Alec_." his best friend answered in a mocking tone, but you could tell he was only messing around. Although he probably believed he was as talented as he said so, which Alec had to admit was true.

For the rest of the gym class, everyone was having a good time playing football. Usually, the team Jace was in would win. This time, it happened again. Luckily for Alec he was on his best friend's team. Magnus wasn't, but he still found a way to keep on targeting Alec; by running into him and tackling him the most.

After gym class, when Alec had math class with Simon, he had an interesting conversation about his sister. He had gone to both of her cheerleading practices by himself, and Alec was a little curious about what he was doing watching her all the time, since Isabelle would tell him it was nothing.

"Nothing. I'm just watching her, that's all." Simon answered about what Isabelle had said. "I don't know what you think I can do with a bunch of other girls in the same room."

"Look, all I'm saying is that if you've done anything with my sister, or if you're secretly dating her, I'd like to know." Alec explained, looking at him seriously.

"I know," Simon nodded. "And we haven't done anything. We're not dating either."

"Okay," Alec said. "I just want to put it out there and say that if anything bad happens, I'll be there to take care of it. Even though Isabelle could probably beat you to a bloody pulp herself."

"Good to know..." Simon said in a sarcastic and almost frightened way. Alec was trying to hide a laugh at his friend's reaction to his comment.

When class had ended and it was finally lunch, Alec had just remembered about wanting to tell Simon about Magnus' plan. He shrugged it off and figured it would be better to tell him during lunch when everyone would be present.

However, when everyone had taken a seat at the cafeteria table, Jace seemed to have the same idea Alec had. Almost immediately when the conversation started, he mentioned what Alec had told him during gym class. Just, in a different way.

"Magnus is going to beat the shit out of Jonathan after football practice today." he had started.

"He's going to do what?" Camille asked in disbelief.

"I'm not going to beat him up." Magnus reassured his shocked friend. "I'm just going to have a chat with him. You know, just some talking."

"Why?" Simon asked, leaning closer to the center of the table, his arms crossed over his chest.

Magnus shrugged in response. "Because I want to see what all the fuss is about, as I've already told Alec. If you want to know exactly what I'll be telling him, you can be there."

"Well, I'm staying for football practice, then." Camille said with a frown. "I don't want you doing anything stupid."

"Now, when have I ever done anything like that?" the sparkly student asked, glancing over at his best friend and giving her a goofy smile.

Camille rolled her eyes. "When have you ever done anything that made sense?"

"Well, I know I'll be there to see what the hell you're going to tell him." Jordan said. Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

So, it had been settled that everyone was going to stay after school and see just what Magnus was going to do. Alec had to admit, he was pretty curious and worried at the same time. He didn't suspect Magnus to be the violent type, but Jonathan could be if he wanted to. Camille didn't seem very keen on the idea, but she didn't find any way to get him out of it. She probably knew that Magnus usually did what he wanted, and no one could stop him.

* * *

The rest of the school day passed by pretty slowly for Alec. He had science right after lunch, which wasn't too bad, if it weren't for Magnus always asking him random questions like he usually did. When it came to English, though, Alec was a little nervous, because Jace had told him he was thinking hard about who he should hook him up with. Alec really didn't want to go on any dates with girls.

Luckily for him, Jace hadn't figured out who he should hook Alec up with yet. Jace seemed a little bummed about it, but Alec was doing a happy dance inside his head, of how relieved he was.

"Sorry, man. I really want to find someone who I think you'd get along with. Someone that you know... but you don't hang out with a lot of girls." he had told him.

"It's okay. You can take your time." Alec had said, trying to look all serious and disappointed himself.

"I mean, its kind of hard to pick someone for you. The only girls you really hang out with are your sister, my girlfriend, and Jordan's girlfriend. So... there are no options there." Jace went on. "Unless you're secretly into incest?"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jace. I'm totally into _incest_." he said, sarcasm clearly in his voice.

Jace grinned. "Just had to make sure. Maybe that was why you haven't dated anyone yet. All you wanted was to be with your sister."

"I would never even consider that. It's just messed up and plain nasty." Alec explained, shaking his head in disgust.

"Well, what's the real reason to why you haven't dated anyone before?" Jace asked him, being serious this time.

Alec didn't answer for a minute, his heart racing. This was the question that he absolutely wanted to avoid with anyone—especially Jace. "I'm just looking for the right person. I just haven't found that person yet..." he said, thinking it was a very safe answer.

"Really? No girl at this school is your type?" his best friend sounded a little surprised.

"Nope..." he answered slowly, avoiding eye contact.

"Hm... well, I'll just find a girl who's bound to be your type, you'll see." Jace reassured Alec, patting him on the shoulder.

"I can't wait." Alec tried his best to give him a convincing smile. It seemed to have worked, and Alec wondered just how oblivious Jace was sometimes.

After the last bell had rung, the end of the day had finally come. Alec was happy and nervous at the same time. One, because it was the end of the day, and everyone enjoyed that. Two, because he knew that Magnus would talk to Jonathan after practice, which he was not looking forward to.

Alec had to do the usual routine of meeting up with Sebastian at the changing rooms right after the last bell had rung, getting changed, and heading outside to the soccer field. He knew that football practice started a little later than his own practice, so he didn't spot Jace, Jordan or Jonathan yet.

However, Alec had met up with his sister when he passed by the gym they were practicing in. He spotted Simon and Max there with her. He looked at Simon expectantly, wanting him to remember the conversation they had earlier today. The teenager looked back at him, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm I the only one who's getting a little tired of these practices?" Sebastian had asked his friend while they were making their way to the field, bags and water bottles in hand.

"Well, not yet. But I guess it'll be a little exhausting. We're going to be doing this five days a week, so we should get used to it." Alec answered.

"Oh, I've been used to it since freshman year. I'm just saying... it's never a walk in the park and rainbows and unicorns." Sebastian went on, waving his arms around.

Alec chuckled. "No, it's not. But admit that it's worth it, right?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, "I suppose you're right."

As expected, Magnus was there waiting for Alec. Camille was there this time, since she didn't want to let Magnus go and do stupid things by himself. Alec figured that she thought she could stop her best friend from going too far, which was probably true. At least, Alec hoped she could.

"Hey, you guys." Magnus grinned. Camille gave them a small smile in greeting.

"Here to watch us practice again?" Alec asked him.

"Well, I'm here to watch _you_, but you can think what you want." the sparkly student answered, glancing over at Sebastian and laughing, indicating he was joking. Alec and Camille both smiled, while Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"Alright, well, we should go." Sebastian said, and with that said, Magnus and Camille wished both of the soccer players good luck before they headed over to the coach and other players.

While they were practicing, Alec couldn't help but be worried for what was going to happen with Magnus and Jonathan. He tried to forget about it while he was doing some drills, since it would affect his performance. He didn't really mess up too much, so it wasn't very noticeable.

"Great job as usual, you guys." Magnus had said. "Except that Alec seemed a bit off today."

Alec glared at his friend. "I wasn't off today. I just made a few mistakes, that's all."

"I don't know, Alec. Maybe you can't concentrate because of what Magnus will be doing after football practice." Sebastian suggested.

"Is that really it? You have nothing to worry about, dear Alec. Everything will be fine." Magnus reassured his friend, who was scowling.

"I think he has a reason to worry." Camille pointed out, still looking unimpressed about the idea.

"Can't you all have a little bit of faith in me?" Magnus wondered aloud, looking at each of his friends.

"I'm not worried." Sebastian admitted. "I'm actually pretty excited. I want to see if you can beat Jonathan up."

Magnus rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm not going to beat him up, as I've already explained."

"Might as well." Alec grumbled, reaching down to grab his water bottle and drink giant gulps. Magnus let out a chuckle, clearly amused.

After a few more minutes, the four all decided to head over to the football field to meet up with Clary and Maia. Max wasn't there this time, since he was with Simon and Isabelle. Alec was very thankful his little brother wasn't there to watch him or Jace this time, since he still thought things could get hectic. He didn't want Max to be scarred for life. It was too bad Isabelle and Simon weren't going to be here to see it, though.

"They're just finishing up." Clary explained, once the four stopped beside them.

"Great," Magnus said with a wide smile on his face. He looked over at the football players expectantly.

"What exactly are you going to tell him?" Maia asked curiously, crossing her arms.

"You'll have to wait and see." he answered, glancing over at her with that same smile.

Soon enough, the football players were done practicing, and they all started to head out. Jace and Jordan walked towards Alec and the others, while Jonathan was still talking with the coach. Alec's heart was beating fast out of anticipation. He just wanted to get everything over with.

"Alright Magnus, go ahead and talk to Jonathan." Jace said. "As soon as he's done talking to the coach, go see him before he leaves to get changed."

Magnus nodded his head, looking over at Clary's brother, who was now picking up his things and getting ready to leave towards the school. "That's my cue," he said, immediately starting to walk towards Jonathan. Everyone followed behind him. Camille let out an annoyed sigh, clearly not anticipating the idea.

As soon as everyone got into ear shot of him, Jonathan turned around, a curious look on his face. When he saw who they all were, he smirked. "What do you guys want this time?" he asked.

"Nothing," Magnus answered, looking completely calm.

Jonathan eyed him suspiciously. "And who are you?"

"You don't know who I am? What a shame. We've actually met before, but it seems you didn't notice." Magnus said, sounding a little hurt.

"I don't think I've met you..." Clary's brother said, his brows furrowing together.

"My, my. Are we really that into ourselves that we don't notice other people?" the sparkly student asked. "And the name is Magnus Bane, by the way."

Jonathan didn't make any signs of shaking his hand. He only stared at him with an odd look on his face. "Okay," he sounded bored. "What's your point, exactly?"

"I'm very surprised that you don't have manners, either..." Magnus said with a shrug. "Maybe my friends are right about what they said about you."

At that, the tall football player chuckled. He looked over at Jace and the others, who were standing there with serious faces. "And what is it they said, exactly?" he asked with amusement in his voice.

"It's doesn't matter what they said. I've just heard a lot about you. I figured I should introduce myself to you, since we weren't properly introduced the other day, when you made fun of Jace." Magnus went on.

Jonathan's smirk returned, and he glanced over at Jace. "It's hard not to make fun of him when he's standing right there." he explained.

Jace took on a furious look, and was about to say something, but Magnus interrupted him. "Look, there's just one thing I have to say to you, Jonathan." he started. "I don't like the way you're acting, all high and mighty. It bugs me how you're rude to everyone, and how you don't seem to have a care in the world. It's sad how people like you exist."

Clary's brother raised an eyebrow, looking a little surprised and unimpressed at the same time. "Is that so?"

"Yes, it's seems so." Magnus shrugged. "But you know, I was hoping we could become friends. But now that I know what kind of person you are, I see it's not really worth it."

Jonathan gave one of the most intense glares, but the sparkly student seemed unfazed. "Magnus, isn't it? I won't forget what you said. And you'll regret what you've done. Just wait and see." he said, in an almost evil voice.

"Frankly, I'm not that worried." Magnus said, not actually looking scared by the threat.

Jonathan smiled—a cruel and amused smile—and shrugged his shoulders. "You should be." he said. And with that, he walked away, his gym bag slung over his shoulder.

There was a moment of silence as everyone watched Clary's brother walk away, and Camille was first to speak. "Magnus, you idiot. Look what you've done."

At that, the named person turned around to look at his furious friend. "I don't know what you're talking about, Camille." he said truthfully.

"She's right, Magnus." Jace started. "That guy has nearly the whole football team on his side. He _has _friends to back him up."

Magnus only shrugged, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not scared of a bunch of football players." he said.

"Well, he doesn't like it when people make fun of him. He gets all sensitive and involves all of his friends. That's why we don't talk to him. He's a low life jerk." Jace went on, and looked over at his girlfriend, who had gone quiet. "No offense, Clary."

"I don't care what you say about my brother, because it's true. He's always been all talk..." she said, looking all serious.

"Then this kid has to see that he's not a god we all have to worship and tell him how perfect he is." Magnus explained. "Honestly, he needs to be put in his place."

"But he's going to get back at you eventually. You should watch out." Jordan informed him.

"Don't worry," Magnus reassured everyone. He then glanced over at Alec, who hadn't said anything this whole time. Then again, neither had Sebastian or Maia. Alec had a shocked look on his face, though. "Alec, relax. I'll be fine." he went on.

Said person shook his head, hiding his embarrassed face. "I know that. It's just... you're way too calm about all of this. We know Jonathan. He means what he says. Even though he's mad for a stupid reason... you should still be a little concerned." Alec said, for once not sounding all worried, but serious and determined.

"Fine, I won't keep my guard down." Magnus promised, still looking straight at Alec. "Okay?"

Alec nodded his head in response, but when his sparkly friend looked away from him and back at the others, he got a twisting feeling in his stomach. He somehow suspected that Magnus wasn't exactly telling the truth—that he was going to be as calm and reckless as before, unfazed by any of his friends warnings.

* * *

It had been a few days since the conversation with Magnus and Jonathan, and nothing had happened yet. That made Alec relived and worried at the same time—if it was taking time for Clary's brother to get back at Magnus, did that mean that it was going to be something unthinkable and incredibly terrible? Alec didn't want to think about it.

When he had told his siblings and Simon about what happened, Alec knew that they would react the same way everyone else did. Isabelle really hated Jonathan.

"Magnus should watch out," Isabelle had said, glancing at said person. "Jonathan has many tricks up his sleeves."

"That's what we've told him." Alec sighed heavily.

"He's such a pervert, too." Isabelle shivered. "He keeps looking at me, and not in a good way."

Simon had taken on a sort of jealous look when she said that. "Yeah, he's not the kind of guy any girl should hang out with."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, either way, he's someone to watch out for."

"I'm telling you, everything will be fine." Magnus insisted, and even Isabelle, Simon and Max didn't look convinced.

Since it had been two weeks that Alec's gym class had played football, they were now switching sports. Unfortunately for Alec, it wasn't soccer, but volleyball. He didn't mind the sport—he was fairly good at it—but it wasn't his favorite. He didn't really have anything to complain about, though.

Unfortunately, it was a Monday—the day that everyone hated the most—so Alec at least had _one _thing to complain about. The day passed by slowly as he had math class first thing in the morning. It was surprisingly easier than Alec thought, which was a good thing. Usually it wasn't so easy.

When lunch finally came, Alec met up with everyone else at their usual cafeteria table. Magnus and Camille had officially been part of the group. They would always have lunch with Alec and the others, and Magnus would stay after school to watch Alec, Sebastian, Jace and Jordan practice—well, mostly Alec. It was pretty enjoyable, with so many people getting along.

"Is anyone here good at math?" Camille had started, looking around expectantly.

Simon looked up from his lunch immediately after she mentioned the word math. "I am," he said. "Why, math class giving you a hard time?"

"Yes," the blond student answered. "I've wondered if any one of you could help me with my math homework after school. I really don't understand Calculus..."

"Well, I'm actually busy after school today." Simon said, sounding regretful.

"Watching Alec's sister practice cheerleading doesn't count, bro." Jace said, shaking his head.

"It's not that," he answered, blushing a little. "I have a meeting with the Tech club after school."

"I didn't know they had meetings. I just thought you guys did stuff at lunch and after school sometimes." Clary said, frowning.

"Yeah, well, we're having some issues." Simon went on. "It doesn't matter. The point is I'm busy. Like, for the whole evening. I have things after the meeting, too."

"Oh, that's too bad." Camille sounded very disappointed, picking at her salad. "Is anyone else good at math?"

"Alec is pretty good." Sebastian instantly cut in. "Calculus is easy for him. He even says the classes are easier than usual. I'm sure he can help you."

Alec looked at Sebastian with an unappreciated look, only because he had spoken for him. He really did hate when his friends would answer everything for him. Alec wasn't that socially awkward.

"Really?" Camille's eyes brightened up. "Could you help me? Please?"

Alec nodded his head. "Sure, I guess I could. But it would have to be after practice."

"Sure, I'll just stay with you guys after school. Who's house?" she asked.

"Well, I guess you could come over to my house." Alec said, suddenly feeling very awkward. He knew what Jordan and Sebastian were thinking. He didn't look at them, but he could tell they were staring at him with those goofy grins on their faces.

"Thank you so much." Camille thanked, sounding very genuine. "This means a lot."

"It's no problem, really." Alec said, but he suddenly realized something. He glanced over at Magnus curiously. "How come Magnus can't help you, though?"

"I'm not very good at math, let alone tutor someone." the sparkly student answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm better at science."

"Oh," was all Alec could say. He was quiet for the rest of lunch time, busy staring at his food and poking at it with his fork. He still refused to look at Sebastian or Jordan. He could tell what they were thinking by their quiet chuckling. Alec really wanted to punch his friends in the face right now. They were exaggerating about him and Camille for nothing.

So naturally, after school had ended, Alec had done his usual routine of going to the changing rooms right after the bell and heading to the soccer field with Sebastian. But this time, Camille was there. The only time she had stayed after school during practice was to be there when Magnus was going to talk to Jonathan.

"This is awesome for you, bro." Sebastian had said. "Maybe you'll finally get a girlfriend. Didn't know it would be Camille, but she's a good pick."

Alec glared at his friend. "I'm not going to ask her out, I'm just going to help her out with her math homework, that's all." he explained angrily.

"Well, I don't know. Something might happen... just saying." his friend went on, his stupid grin not leaving his face.

"Do you know how much I want to punch you right now?" Alec asked him, but Sebastian only laughed, shaking his head, as if not believing that a guy like Alec could punch someone out of anger. He was probably right, but still...

Luckily for Alec, Sebastian didn't make any jokes as practice went on. Even when they were done, and they went to see Jace and the others, Jordan didn't joke around either. Maybe it was because Camille was always standing right there in ear shot. Sebastian and Jordan did have _some _senses.

When practices for everyone had finally finished—that included Isabelle—everyone started to head home, getting rides, driving home, or taking the bus. Of course, now Alec had to bring Camille with them to his house. Simon was staying at school, still. Apparently their meeting was still going on.

Magnus said goodbye to Alec and Camille before going into his own car. He didn't seem bothered by any of it, which was a little shocking for Alec, and he didn't know why. Maybe he thought that he'd be jealous of Alec taking his best friend away, or was it something else? Alec immediately dismissed the thought and returned to reality.

"Alright, Camille. Go ahead and take the passenger's seat." Alec invited her in his car, suddenly feeling very awkward.

Camille smiled, and got into the car, her bag on her lap. Isabelle looked over at Alec with a smirk before going in the back along with Max. Alec tossed his bag in between his two siblings.

The ride home was quiet at first, until Isabelle started asking Camille a bunch of questions about random things. They started having a small conversation, while Alec stood stiff in his seat, looking ahead of him while driving. Max had become very bored, so he took out his iPod and started listening to his music. Alec let out a small sigh.

When they got to their house, Isabelle and Camille were still talking, while Max was still listening to his music. The four all headed into the house, Alec being quiet the whole time. Max had immediately made his way to the living room, probably watching cartoons like he usually did.

"Where's the bathroom?" Camille asked suddenly.

Alec looked over at her for a minute, not answering. "Oh, it's at the end of the hall after passing the kitchen." he explained.

"Thanks," she said, and then quickly made her way to the the bathroom, her long blond hair flowing behind her.

"Camille's great, isn't she?" Isabelle asked with a smile. "She's super nice and pretty. It's too bad you're gay though."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Izzy?" he asked her.

"Yes, I am serious! She'd be a great girlfriend, I think. I wonder if her and Magnus ever went out..." Isabelle wondered aloud.

"Why would you think that?" Alec said in disbelief.

"He's bi, isn't he? All I'm saying is that maybe they had something going on before they moved here. It's just a feeling I have." Isabelle explained, looking right into her brother's eyes.

"How did you know he wasn't gay? Everyone thinks he is..." Alec said, a little confused.

"Camille told me in the car while we were talking. Didn't you hear her say it?" his sister asked him, frowning slightly, and her arms crossed over her chest.

"No," Alec said, a little embarrassed. Of course, Isabelle would have asked Camille something like that. Then again, so did he. It's not like he could judge her.

Before Isabelle could answer, Camille came back from the bathroom. They both heard her light footsteps as she walked towards them, so they both went quiet and looked over at her.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking curious that they had suddenly gone silent.

"Nothing," Isabelle said with a convincing smile. "I'll leave you two with your math homework." And with that, she walked away, giving Alec a small smile before leaving into the kitchen.

Alec turned to Camille, feeling all awkward again, now that they were alone. He had no idea how to talk to girls—he never really hung out with them by himself. "We should head over to my room if we don't want to be interrupted." he explained.

"Sure," Camille nodded.

Grabbing his bag, Alec led the way to his room, and closed the door behind them as they stepped inside. The two immediately took their seats at his desk, and Camille took out her math homework. Alec was relieved that he actually understood her homework. As he started to explain to her, he realized she wanted help because she had a test the day after tomorrow, and she still didn't understand very well.

"What don't you understand?" he asked her.

"Well... almost everything." Camille said, sounding disappointed in herself.

"Okay, then I guess I'll just have to start at square one." Alec said, thinking to himself that it was going to be a long few hours.

The time had passed by pretty quickly, because Alec didn't realize that it was getting late. He was starting to wonder why his parents weren't home yet. Usually, they would be home for supper. As soon as he thought this, though, his phone started to vibrate. When he checked to see who it was, he saw it was his mother calling.

"Um, mom?" he asked.

"Alec, dear, there's been a change of plans for tonight." Maryse started. "Your father and I won't be home for supper. Something is holding us up, and we'll be home pretty late."

"Oh, okay." Alec didn't even try to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"You'll have to order something. I hope you don't mind." she went on.

"No, it's fine." Alec said, almost sighing. "Have fun at work."

"Thank you dear. Have a nice night. Tell Isabelle and Max I'm sorry." Maryse said, before hanging up.

Alec bit his bottom lip, and hung up his cell. He looked over at Camille and smiled a little. "Sorry, it's my mom. Both of my parents are lawyers, so they're almost never home." he explained.

"Oh, that's fine." she said, smiling back at him.

Alec then looked over at the clock on his nightstand, and saw that it was almost six o'clock. "Um... did you want to stay for supper? We're probably going to order pizza or Chinese food." he asked her reluctantly.

Camille looked a little surprised, but since they weren't done with their homework, it seemed to make sense. "Sure, why not?" she said with a shrug.

Alec nodded his head, turning back to her homework and then secretly telling himself that he would definitely get teased about Camille staying for supper at his house. Isabelle would be giving him these looks during supper, and Sebastian and Jordan would do the same tomorrow at lunch.

Alec really did hate his good nature.

* * *

Camille had been very thankful when they finished her math homework. She seemed to have understood, and was pretty confident for the test coming up soon. They had finished about an hour after they had eaten supper, and then Alec drove Camille home. She thanked him one last time before getting out of his car and heading inside her house.

The next day, Alec was expecting Sebastian and Jordan to make fun of him and Camille. And he was right. As much as it was annoying, he didn't want to go telling him that he didn't even like girls. It wasn't that worth it, anyway. All he could do was stand there and take the teasing, since no one else seemed to take any notice.

Although, oddly enough, Jace seemed to notice all of that teasing. Alec never really realized his best friend noticing these things. Jace would sometimes look over in his direction while Jordan and Sebastian would say something about Camille, and he would then look away as if nothing happened. Alec really wasn't sure what was going through his mind while he was looking at them. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know.

After lunch, which was a little dreadful for Alec, he had English class with Jace. He was a little worried about that, because he hadn't found a girl that he should hook him up with. Alec was starting to wonder if he ever would find someone for him. Not that he wanted a girlfriend.

But today seemed to be different. Jace seemed to be very deep in thought—more than he normally was. While the teacher was talking, or when they were doing some work, he seemed to be zoning out all the time. Alec had to lightly shake his shoulder, causing Jace to jump in surprise every time.

"Hey, what's wrong? You seem a little out of it today." Alec has asked him.

Jace only shrugged. "I'm just thinking... about who I should hook you up with. I'm really trying, but there's really no girl you ever talk to." he explained, actually looking sad.

"Oh," Alec said slowly. "Well, it's okay if you can't find me someone. It's not the end of the world, you know."

"I know it's not, but..." Jace then trailed off, shaking his head and going back into deep thinking. Alec let out a sigh and went back to his work.

A few minutes had passed, and it was very quiet in the classroom. Times like these were pretty rare. Usually there would always be some whispering. There were only coughs and sniffles heard now and then from people who had colds.

Suddenly, Jace dropped is pencil, and sat straight up in his seat. His eyes widened in what seemed to be in realization. He then turned to Alec slowly, poking his arm. "Hey, Alec..."

Named person looked over at Jace curiously. He really was acting weird today... "What is it?"

"I finally realized something." his best friend answered. "I found someone who you could hook up with."

Alec looked very surprised. "Really? Who?"

"It's the only other girl you actually talk to that isn't your sister, Clary, or Maia. I mean, it's obvious, isn't it?" Jace explained, looking very pleased with himself.

Suddenly, Alec had realized what he was talking about. His stomach flipped out of horror that Jace had _actually _found a girl for him. If only he knew the truth! So, he slowly asked the question he feared to ask. "Who...?"

Jace smiled widely. "Camille, of course."

**Aha! Yet another (sort of) cliffhanger! Sorry I had to end it here, the chapter was getting long. It's as long as it usually is, so I didn't want to keep on writing. And just to make things perfectly clear, this will not be a Camille/Alec fic. Definitely not. This is just following up to my plan for future chapters. So, to make up for the lack of Malec, there's going to be a lot of it next chapter! ;) And I'm not sure if the whole Magnus and Jonathan thing is too... I don't know, odd? I wasn't sure what to do to make Jonathan mad at Magnus. But it's important that he is mad at him. I guess you could call it foreshadowing... :P But anyway, tell me what you guys think. Please review! Bye! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the short delay! I was busy with school and other stuff. But anyway, I had so much fun writing this chapter! Probably because there was a lot of Malec, which I just love writing... ;) I hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope... I still don't own the Mortal Instruments. Or Subway (you'll see).**

Chapter Five

As soon as Jace told him that Camille was the girl he should go out with, Alec's mind seemed to just explode. He wanted to laugh out loud, to burst into tears, to scream out of frustration, and even just throw something across the room. Had he actually said _Camille_...?

As Alec thought more about it, it made sense. As Jace said, it was the only other girl he actually talked to besides his sister, Clary or Maia. He probably thought she was a good pick because Sebastian and Jordan kept teasing him about her. So Jace thought that Alec kept on ignoring it because he thought he _liked _her?

There was also the fact that Alec helped Camille with her homework and let her stay over for supper. But he would have done that with Clary or Maia if he absolutely _had_ to. Did Jace take that as another sign that there was attraction in between Alec and Camille? Because Alec definitely didn't like her like _that_, and he was positive Camille didn't like him in that way either. They were just friends.

Alec really didn't know how to react. At first he stared at his best friend with wide eyes, all of his feelings running around in his head. Then he got back to his senses and sighed lightly. "Camille?" he asked.

Jace nodded in an excited way. "Yes, Camille. Why, you don't like her? Not even a little?" he asked him.

Alec was never a good liar, so he had to try his best to sound convincing. It had worked for the past few days, after all. _And _he had managed to convince all of his friends that he _wasn't _gay. That should count for something. "I don't know..." he said slowly.

"Look, why don't you just give her a chance? Just ask her out on a date and see how it goes. She really does seem nice and everything." Jace went on, seeming quite persistent. He really did want his best friend to have a girlfriend.

"What about Magnus?" Alec asked before he could stop himself. He really wanted to slap himself for saying that.

"What do mean, what about Magnus?" Jace said with a frown on his face.

"I mean, uh... do you think he'll be okay with it? Him and Camille are best friends, so shouldn't I get his approval or something?" the words coming out of Alec's mouth sounded very strange as he said it.

Jace chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "Really, Alec? Are you worried about that...?" he questioned.

"Well, I guess. It just feels weird." Alec was surprised that he could lie so well. Actually, it wasn't necessarily a _lie_. It did feel weird, thinking about going out with Camille.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Magnus will be fine about it. He's pretty chill about everything." Jace explained.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Alec admitted, having no argument for that.

There were a few minutes of silence before Jace said, "So, are you going to give Camille a chance or not?"

Alec slowly nodded his head, silently dreading the whole thing. But it couldn't be as bad as he thought, right? "Yeah, why not?"

"Great," Jace beamed, clearly looking pleased with himself and his best friend.

After that, Jace had told Alec that he should ask her out on a date when school had ended today. Alec had no idea when or where the date should be, but Jace seemed to have all the answers to that. So, it was settled that he would ask her out to go have dinner at a restaurant downtown this Saturday. The more Alec thought about the idea, it seemed more and more weird.

After English, Alec had science, which he did not want to have right now. Magnus, Sebastian, and Jordan were in his class, and they would surely notice him being all quiet and deep in thought during class. Because usually he would at least talk to his friends a little.

As expected, Magnus seemed to have noticed that Alec was acting a little different than usual. Alec wasn't sure how he noticed these things sometimes—he could be very subtle at most times. Even Jordan and Sebastian didn't notice.

Magnus poked Alec's back with his pencil. "Hey, Alec." he whispered, his voice urgent.

Alec slowly turned around, a curious look on his face. "What is it? I'm trying to do my science work, here." he asked, trying not to sound too annoyed.

His friend didn't seem to be bother by his tone of voice, because he went on as if there was no difference. "You seem... more quiet than usual. Is something on your mind, perhaps?" he said with a smile.

Alec frowned. "You already seem to know there's something on my mind, don't you?"

Magnus only shrugged in response. "Maybe, maybe not."

Alec let out a small sigh, and shook his head. "It's nothing important." he answered.

"Are you sure about that?" Magnus asked, looking at him seriously.

"Well..." Alec said slowly, wondering if he should tell him about Camille now. Jordan and Sebastian didn't seem to be listening, anyway. For once, they seemed to be into their work. They were probably just determined to finish it before the bell rang. "I guess it's something sort of important."

"Alright, what is it?" Magnus' smile returned to his face as he said so.

"Okay," Alec took a deep breath. "Jace has tried to hook me up with a girl for about two weeks or so. He couldn't find someone for me, until today."

"And who is this girl, exactly?" the sparkly student asked, looking extremely curious, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned closer towards Alec.

There was a long pause before Alec answered in a very low and quick voice, "Camille."

At first, Magnus took on a surprised look. Then, he looked as if he was trying to not laugh. He put his hands over his mouth and chuckled softly. "Really?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe it.

Alec looked at him with a similar shocked look on his face. "What? What's wrong?"

Magnus only shook his head. "It's just that you and Camille are an odd pair, you know? I don't exactly see it."

"Well, I'm going to give her a chance, and ask her out on a date. It was Jace's idea." Alec went on, keeping a close eye on his friend's reactions. "What do you think about that?"

"What do you mean, what do I think?" he asked, clearly looking confused.

"Like... are you okay with it?" the slightly awkward student asked more clearly.

Magnus seemed to have understood this time. "Why wouldn't I be?" he shrugged.

"I don't know. She's your best friend and everything, so I just—" Alec was quickly interrupted by his friend, who couldn't help but smile once again.

"I don't actually mind who Camille decides to go out with." he explained. Alec blinked, unsure of what to say, so Magnus went on. "Look, if Camille agrees to go out on a date with you, I'll help you pick out something to wear."

It was Alec's turn to look confused. "What do you mean? What's wrong with what I wear?"

"Nothing," Magnus answered. "It's just that everything you've worn at school is plain. Do you have anything that's sort of fun or fancy?"

"Not really," Alec shrugged. "I don't actually care about clothes."

"You don't?" Magnus smirked, giving him a suggestive smile.

Alec immediately caught on by what he meant, and he let out an annoyed sigh. "I mean I don't care about what I wear."

"Whatever you say." the amused student said, chuckling a bit before going on with the conversation. "All I'm saying is that usually when going on a date, both people like to clean themselves up and look all pretty and wear fancy clothes. And since you don't seem to have anything like that, I should help you find something to wear."

"What do you suggest?" Alec asked.

"That I take you to the mall. Where else do you buy clothes?" Magnus answered.

"Oh," Alec said slowly. "I don't like going to the mall."

Magnus smirked. "When you go shopping with me, it's always fun." he explained. "How about it, sweetheart?"

Alec's eyes grew wide when he called him by his nickname, and he quickly looked around to see if anyone had heard them. He was actually quite surprised that Jordan and Sebastian didn't hear it, or that the teacher didn't care about their constant whispering. Besides, there were other people talking among themselves in hushed voices too. "What did I tell you about calling me that in front of other people?"

"Oh come on," his sparkly friend said. "No one's listening or paying attention. Just answer the question."

Alec bit his bottom lip, thinking over the idea. "Fine," he said finally. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Great," Magnus smiled from ear to ear, finally getting back to his work.

When Alec turned around to continue on with his own work, Jordan leaned over to whisper to him. "Hey, what was that all about?" he asked. Sebastian looked over in his direction as well, looking just as curious.

"What do you mean?" Alec said, trying to sound completely oblivious.

"I mean what were you talking about with Magnus?" Jordan asked, looking a little irritated. Obviously he hadn't fallen for Alec's stupid act.

"Nothing important. Just about the science homework." Alec lied, this time seeming a bit more convincing.

Jordan and Sebastian exchanged a look before looking back at their friend with the same confused look on their faces. "Okay," Jordan answered, and the two went back to their papers.

Alec let out a small sigh, shaking his head while picking up his pencil. He stared at his work he had barely started, just because he was talking to Magnus. He then looked back at his friend, who was writing answers in a quick pace. Magnus seemed to have noticed Alec staring at him, because he slowly looked up from his papers and gave him a wink. Alec couldn't help but blush and turn back around, trying his best to concentrate on science while many thoughts were swirling through his head.

* * *

Alec was silently flipping out on the inside as soon as the bell had rung, ending the school day. After agreeing to ask Camille out on a date—it being completely Jace's idea—and telling Magnus about it, there was no turning back. But Alec really wanted to run away from the whole thing, despite what he said. How the hell could he ask a girl out, when he didn't even like _girls_? Even worse, when Camille probably didn't like him either. It would be the worst date ever...

It was to happen right after school, before Camille left to go home, since she never really stayed for Alec's soccer practice with Magnus. That meant he would be all alone when he asked her. It was one thing when he was asking out the sex he wasn't interested in, but it would be another thing to be completely rejected. Alec kept telling himself that if it weren't for Jace, he wouldn't be doing this.

So, instead of heading to the changing rooms directly after the bell, he made his way to Camille's locker. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw she was alone, and not with her other friends. He _really _didn't want to get other people involved in this.

When he was in ear shot of her, Camille looked up from her bag and smiled at Alec. "Hi, Alec. What are you doing here? I thought you had practice." she asked, looking curious as she spoke.

"Yeah, I do." Alec sounded a little breathless. "But I wanted to ask you something before you left school."

Camille frowned, setting her bag down and putting her full attention on Alec. "Okay, what is it?" she asked slowly.

Alec took a deep breath, knowing that once he had asked, there was no turning back. He was to pretend to like girls for who knows how long. Alec wasn't sure if he could take that, knowing that there was now no chance with Jace, ever. Not that there really was any since he started dating Clary. "I was wondering if you would like to hang out with me on Saturday? Maybe have supper downtown or something..." he asked awkwardly.

Camille took on a surprised look, blinking once or twice. "Like... a date?" she said.

When he answered, Alec avoided complete eye contact with her. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. If you want to call it that." he replied. "Or just to hang out as friends."

There was a short pause from the surprised student. Camille's mouth was slightly hanging open, as if she really couldn't believe it. Alec was starting to get a little nervous. "To hang out...?" she repeated.

"If you don't want to, that's fine." Alec said, really hoping that would be her answer. He didn't want Jace to get any ideas from this.

"No, no... it's not that. I'm just a little shocked by your offer." Camille explained. "I wouldn't mind just hanging out, if that's all it is."

"Yeah, it's really up to you on what you want to call it." Alec said, scratching the back of his head, which was something he always did when he was nervous.

"Okay, let's hang out on Saturday." Camille gave him a small smile. "You have my number, right? How about we text each other about the details later this week?"

Alec nodded his head. "Sure," he said simply, giving her a much more awkward smile back.

After saying goodbye to his friend, Alec quickly made his way to his own locker, putting his stuff away and taking out his gym bag, along with his water bottle. He then jogged to the changing rooms, where he knew he would find a complaining Sebastian. His friend really liked to complain when he was late for something.

"Dude, where were you? Don't you know you have to go to the changing rooms right after the bell?" Sebastian asked, already changed and ready to go outside.

"Sorry, I had to go talk to someone first." Alec answered, immediately starting to get changed.

Sebastian gave him a curious look. "Who?" he said slowly. Then, his face lit up, and he smiled mischievously. "Was it Camille, perhaps?"

Alec looked away, not wanting to see his friend's face. "Yup," he replied quickly.

"Oh, I see." Sebastian said in an understanding voice.

Luckily for Alec, Sebastian didn't seem to ask him any more questions as he got changed. Instead, his friend decided to head out to the soccer field before Alec was ready. Although Alec had a feeling that when he would meet up with Magnus and Jace outside, they would ask him about Camille, and Sebastian and the others would know about it. There was no running away from it.

As soon as Alec met up with Magnus and Sebastian—he had to run towards them, since practice was starting very soon—his sparkly friend immediately asked the question he didn't want to be asked in front of anyone else.

"So, what did Camille say?" Magnus asked him.

Alec looked over at Sebastian, who looked extremely confused. He didn't say anything, but seemed to be awaiting an answer. Alec let out a small sigh. "She said yes."

"Said yes for what? What happened?" Sebastian said with a shocked look on his face.

"Alec's got a date with Camille." Magnus explained.

"Way to go, Alec!" Sebastian exclaimed, patting his back with an impossibly big grin on his face.

Alec gave him a small smile. "Thanks. But we're just hanging out, that's all." he corrected.

"Uh-huh. Call it whatever you want. It's definitely a date." Sebastian said, refusing to believe whatever explanation Alec had.

Even after soccer practice, Alec knew that the questions weren't over. When he, Magnus, and Sebastian went to see Jace and the others, he was afraid of what might happen. As soon as Jace started approaching him with a smile on his face, he knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Hey Alec," Jace said, "did you ask Camille out on a date like I suggested?"

Alec looked around, seeing Jordan, Maia and Clary's shocked faces. It was a good thing Max wasn't here, otherwise he could have accidentally slipped up and told everyone his big secret. That would have been very bad.

"Yes, I did. And she said yes." Alec answered, surprisingly not sounding upset by this supposedly good news.

"I knew this would work out. Good going, buddy." Jace said, patting his back just like Sebastian had done.

"Yeah, it's about time you got your first date." Jordan added, while Clary and Maia still looked pretty surprised.

"Yup," Alec said simply, glancing over at Magnus, who only shrugged in response. He was smiling too—everyone was—while Alec had a serious look on his face. There was no way he could grin like everyone else was, there was no way he could congratulate himself like everyone else was, when he didn't feel what _everyone else _felt.

"So, when's the date?" Sebastian asked, snapping Alec out of his train of thoughts.

"Um, this Saturday. We're going downtown for supper, that's all." he answered, glancing over at Sebastian.

"That was all my idea." Jace said proudly, pointing a thumb at himself.

"You're such a genius..." Clary said sarcastically, a small smile on her face.

"Well, he helped Alec get a date, so he's pretty much a miracle worker, if you ask me." Jordan pointed out.

"Oh, don't exaggerate." Maia said while rolling her eyes at her boyfriend.

"No, I don't think Jordan is exaggerating at all. I'm pretty much a miracle worker, if I can get Alec a date." Jace went on. "Now all that's left is for the date to go perfectly, and I'll be a god."

"Really, Jace? Enough with the god stuff." Clary said in an exasperated voice.

"Why?" Jace pouted, looking over at his girlfriend questioningly.

At that point, Alec stopped listening. He knew that the conversation had gone off topic, so there was no point in paying attention anymore. Instead, Alec started to wander, thinking about the Saturday coming up—the Saturday when he was supposed to go out with Camille—and was already starting to regret everything. But he kept telling himself that it couldn't be that bad, because they would just be hanging out. At least, that's what Alec saw it as, and it was probably what Camille saw it as, too. No one wanted to hear otherwise, though. It was a date to everyone else.

Alec could _definitely _wait for Saturday to come.

* * *

"So, you and Camille are going out on a date?" Isabelle asked for probably the millionth time that day. Well, she probably only asked about three times now, but Alec sure was annoyed already.

"We're just hanging out." Alec corrected, fiddling with the cellphone in his hands.

After the conversation after football practice, Alec went to go get his siblings by himself. Even Magnus had left, understanding that he didn't want anyone there with him. He had told Isabelle, Max, and Simon about the whole date thing before Jace could—that would have been a disaster—and he made sure Max didn't say anything that could reveal his secret. That was when Isabelle took on a surprised look the whole ride home. Simon seemed happy for Alec, probably because he thought that would get his mind off of him and Isabelle.

"I find that hard to believe." Isabelle pointed out. "But I suppose you want it to just be hanging out."

"Exactly," Alec sighed in relief. "And Camille doesn't seem to take it as a date, either."

"Yeah, it's also a good thing that Max didn't reveal your secret in front of everyone, too." his sister went on, looking in the direction of the living room, where Max was watching cartoons. "Otherwise _everyone _would believe it was just to hang out."

"I know," Alec said, running a hand through his hair tiredly. Suddenly, his phone buzzed loudly, and he saw that he was getting call. "It's Magnus." he said, staring at the phone.

"Well, answer it then!" Isabelle said hurriedly, lightly shoving her brother's shoulder.

With an intense glare at his sister, Alec slowly brought the phone up to his ear. "Magnus?"

"Of course it's me, sweetheart. You have caller ID, don't you?" Magnus said teasingly.

"Yes..." Alec answered annoyingly. "What's up?"

"Well, it's about our little shopping date." Magnus explained.

"Our date?" Alec said slowly, looking over at his sister, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Yes," Magnus said, chuckling at his joke. "Since Camille said yes, we have to go shopping for you, remember?"

Alec scratched the back of his head, swearing silently. Isabelle seemed to hear him, and he wondered if Magnus heard him too. Not that it really mattered. "Yeah, I was thinking... can't I just wear some of your clothes?"

Magnus laughed even more now. "Do you honestly want to wear flashy and sparkly clothes? Not to mention I'm an inch taller than you. Everything would be a little too big."

"Okay, then I don't think I want to wear your clothes." Alec said, horrified by just the thought of wearing something _sparkly_.

There was a short pause. "Now that I think about it, you wouldn't look bad in flashy purple with sparkles..." his friend said, sounding deep in thought.

"No, Magnus. That's a terrible idea." Alec said quickly. "Let's just go shopping instead."

At this point, Alec could imagine Magnus smiling triumphantly. "Alright, that's more like it. So when did you want to go? Any day before Saturday, obviously."

"Well, I have soccer practice every day after school." Alec said. "So Friday seems to be the only option, since it's not a school night."

"Whatever you want, sweetheart." Magnus answered.

"When are you going to stop calling me that?" Alec asked, sounding exasperated.

"Never, of course." Magnus said, laughing afterward. "The nickname suits you, darling."

"And darling, too?"

"Of course it does. Why else would I call you that?"

"Good point." Alec said with a small sigh.

"I know." Magnus said. "So, after soccer practice on Friday, I follow you home to your house and we'll use my car to drive to the mall."

"Why? I can drive." Alec insisted.

"Because I know where the mall is, when I highly doubt you know." Magnus pointed out, and Alec had to admit he was right.

"Okay, fine. I guess it's the most logical decision." Alec admitted.

"Great, so it's settled. Friday, after practice. We can stay at the mall for as long as you want, too. I don't mind." Magnus explained.

"Yup, sounds good." Alec said, glancing over at his sister again, so was still smiling widely. If only he could wipe it off her face.

"Great," Magnus sounded very happy when he said that. "Can't wait, _sweetheart_."

"Goodbye, _Magnus_." Alec said, emphasizing on the last word before hanging up. He was still looking at his sister as he hung up, and she had her hands covering her mouth, clearly showing she was trying not to laugh.

As she slowly parted her hands from her mouth, and was about to speak, Alec quickly interrupted her. "I don't want to hear it." he said.

Isabelle was quiet for a minute, staring at her brother with a smile. Just when Alec thought she wasn't going to speak, she said, "Whatever you say, sweetheart."

* * *

The rest of the week had passed by pretty quickly. It was quite repetitive, though. Alec had the same classes with the same people everyday—just like it always has been—and he had soccer practice every day, nothing new happening. Jonathan hadn't even done anything yet.

Finally, it was Friday. The last bell had rung, and Alec went over to soccer practice with Sebastian, Magnus and Max waiting for them at the field. Clary and Maia were watching Jace and Jordan practice at the football field, which hadn't changed either. And of course, Simon was still watching Isabelle during cheerleading practice.

Not much had happened during those two hours, and Alec was a little relieved when it ended. Not that he was particularly looking forward to going shopping, it was just something _different _to do.

As soon as everyone was leaving to go home, Magnus went over to Alec at the parking lot and told him he would be driving behind him to his house. Then, they would go along with their plan, taking Magnus' car. Alec also added that he wanted to take a quick shower and grab his wallet before heading out to the mall.

The ride to Alec's house was basically Isabelle talking the whole time, with her teasing him and Magnus. Max was staying quiet, but laughed every now and then. However, the ride to the mall was much quieter. Magnus did most of the talking, telling Alec about what clothes he should buy and stuff of the sort.

It seemed to have been an eternity before they finally arrived at the mall—although it was probably about twenty to thirty minutes long at most—and Magnus was looking more and more excited. It seemed as if this was the best thing in the world for him, because he couldn't stand still and wouldn't stop talking either. Alec was surprised to see Magnus like this.

When they got inside the mall, Alec held his breath. It was probably one of the biggest malls he'd ever seen. That was because Alec never really went to any malls, let alone one like this. If Isabelle were here, she would never leave. She would love this place.

"Alright, so where do you want to start?" Magnus asked, grinning widely while looking at his friend.

"I don't know... I've never been here before. Why don't you lead the way?" Alec suggested, not sure if it was going to be the best decision. Who knew where Magnus would bring him?

"Sure," Magnus nodded. "Follow me, I'll show you where to really shop for clothes."

With that said, the two started their journey around the mall, looking in various stores for clothes. There were some places Alec refused to even enter, because as soon as he saw something flashy or sparkly, he didn't want anything to do with it. Magnus looked genuinely disappointed, but didn't complain.

Something that Alec had noticed was that a lot of people were staring at him and Magnus. Alec wasn't really surprised, though. If he saw two guys—one that looked completely boring and plain, and another that stood out with sparkles and flashy colors—it would cause someone to do a double take. Alec suspected most people were just staring at Magnus, which the sparkly student didn't seem to mind all that much. Again, Alec couldn't argue with them. Magnus was definitely someone to look at.

"What about this store?" Magnus asked, stopping for the millionth time in front of another clothing place. "There are no flashy or sparkly clothes in sight."

Alec peered into the store—it looked pretty safe to him. "Okay, why not? It's not like we've even stepped in a store yet."

And so, the two friends entered the store, Magnus stopping at every table and shelf to look through jeans and shirts of all kinds. All Alec was doing was standing beside his taller friend and watching him go through all those clothes.

"How many jeans and shirts are you going to take?" Alec asked in disbelief, staring at the pile of clothes in Magnus' arms.

"Sweetheart, you're getting your wardrobe updated. You need more than one outfit." Magnus explained.

"But you said we'd only buy an outfit for Saturday. Not change my whole wardrobe." Alec mumbled.

"Okay, well maybe not getting your _whole _wardrobe changed. But we should definitely buy a few more clothes for you. Add some color and... excitement." Magnus went on.

"Fine. But let's not buy a dozen jeans and nearly thirty shirts, okay?" Alec pleaded.

"Whatever you say goes, darling." Magnus winked.

With a heavy sigh from Alec, they both took a few more minutes to wander around the store before heading over to the changing rooms. When Alec looked over at the pile of clothes he had to try on, he wanted to run away. Never in his life had he tried so many clothes at once.

"Better get started, dear Alec. You've got a lot of clothes to try on. And this is only our first store." Magnus stated.

Alec scowled before heading into the changing room. He started to feeling miserable already when he changed into his first pair of jeans and shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror before opening the door to let Magnus take a look.

Magnus looked over at him, nodding his head slowly. "The color looks good on you." he said, pointing at his blue shirt. "But it's too baggy."

"Too baggy? It's fine like this." Alec protested.

"No, you see... when you wear something, it has to be fitted to your body, not hanging loose. If it's baggy, it doesn't show that you're actually in shape." Magnus explained. "Since you're thin and lean like I am, wearing tighter and fitting clothes is a good thing. It shows off the body."

Alec blushed a little. "What if I don't want to show off my body?" he asked.

"Why not? Everyone's missing out, sweetheart." Magnus said with a suggestive smile. "How about the jeans? Do you like them?"

Alec looked down at his uncomfortable skinny jeans. He didn't really like tight clothing on himself, but he had to admit it didn't look too bad. "It feels uncomfortable..." he said slowly.

"You'll get used to it, I promise." Magnus said, waving his hand lazily. "It looks great on you. Now let me get you that shirt in a smaller size."

The rest of their conversations were about the same as the first one. Alec would try on another pair of jeans, which would fit very well, and then Magnus would comment that the shirt was too baggy, so he would get the shirt in a size smaller. After Alec had tried on the smaller shirt, Magnus would add a comment that had something to do with how it showed off his figure perfectly, and then Alec couldn't help but blush after that.

"I think we should only buy a few things at each store you like, not everything in one store." Magnus explained once Alec had finally finished trying on everything.

"Okay," Alec shrugged, "you're the professional here."

After that first store they went to, Alec only got a few shirts and jeans, as Magnus suggested. They obviously didn't buy everything Magnus had picked out—that would be way too much to buy in one day—so they narrowed it down to the best looking clothes on Alec. And when Magnus offered to pay for everything, Alec stubbornly refused, stating it was _his _clothes they were buying.

The two friends headed into a few more stores, of which some Alec also refused to go into. Sometimes Alec didn't like the way some of the clothes fit, or how the style looked on him, but Magnus would always say anything he wore looked good. That would cause Alec to blush again—he hated it when people complimented him on those sorts of things, especially when it was Magnus who said it.

Another store they had gone into, Magnus had found a lot of nice jeans for Alec to wear. The shirts there were too plain, which was what Magnus had said. Alec didn't complain, because he preferred the pants at the store anyway.

When he tried on his first pair of jeans, and got out of the changing room to show Magnus, his friend took on a pleased look. Alec dismissed it and looked over at the mirror close by, admiring himself in every angle to see if it looked okay.

"Your ass looks perfect in those jeans, Alec." Magnus said with a big grin on his face.

Alec looked over at his friend, with his eyes wide in shock. He could instantly feel his face heat up, and it was probably as red as a tomato.

"Um... yeah, thanks." he said awkwardly, quickly making his way back into the changing room, closing the door behind him. He could hear Magnus laughing his head off.

After buying bags filled with new clothes, Alec had finally said it was enough stores they had went to for just random outfits. Besides, Alec was getting a little annoyed by all those embarrassing comments from Magnus. At first, it wasn't too bad, but now it was getting a little out of hand.

"So, how much longer are we going to be shopping for me?" Alec asked, once the two had found an empty bench to sit on.

"As soon as we find out a nice outfit for your date tomorrow." Magnus answered.

"But I have plenty of new shirts to wear now. What's the problem?" Alec said in an almost whining voice.

"What you bought were casual clothes. It's nice for school and every day stuff." Magnus explained. "What we need for tomorrow is something a little more fancy. Or at least, something you would never wear."

"I never wore skinny jeans before, or tighter fitting shirts. That has to count as something." Alec stated, pointing his index finger at his sparkly friend.

"True," Magnus nodded, "but it's not necessarily something you'd wear on a first date. Do you have a button down shirt at home?"

"No," Alec said, shaking his head. "If I do, it probably doesn't fit me anymore."

"I know just what to get you for your date, then." Magnus smiled. "Maybe another pair of pants to match, but we'll see."

"Can we at least take a break and eat? I'm starving and tired of trying on clothes." Alec protested.

"Sure, whatever you want." Magnus said with a wink.

With that said, the two walked towards the food court, which was filled with people. It wasn't surprising that it was so busy—it was a Friday, so most teenagers liked to hang out at the mall when the weekend had finally started. Alec and Magnus had to wait for a bit to get their food, with shopping bags in hand. They had both agreed that Subway was the best place to get their food—Magnus hated greasy food, and Alec loved their subs and chocolate chip cookies. Magnus also insisted he would pay—his treat.

Surprisingly, there was a free table for both Alec and Magnus to sit at, and they immediately went over to claim it before anyone else could. With the two extra seats beside them, Alec and Magnus placed the shopping bags on them.

"So, Alec," Magnus started, taking a bite out of his sub. "Admit that you had a great time at the mall with me so far."

Alec couldn't help but chuckle. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." he admitted. "Try going with Isabelle. She has to go into every single store she sees."

Magnus smiled brightly. "See? It's way better when people go shopping with me. I could even make grocery shopping fun."

"Is that so?" Alec asked, raising his eyebrows, as if not believing it.

"Yeah, we'd ride around in those shopping carts like we used to do as kids." Magnus explained.

"Well then, remind me to bring you with me next time I go grocery shopping." Alec said, cracking another smile.

There was a moment of comfortable silence, the two friends taking that time to enjoy their sandwich and think a little. Alec was thinking about why Magnus had agreed on taking Alec shopping for his date tomorrow. If anything, shouldn't it be awkward for Magnus that his best friend was going on a dinner date with Alec? Because Alec knew he felt awkward in every way possible just thinking about going out with Camille tomorrow. To him, it didn't make much sense.

"Is something on your mind?" Magnus asked suddenly, snapping Alec back to reality.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Alec asked slowly.

"I mean, you've been frowning at the people behind me for ten minutes. Either you really hate what that woman is wearing, or you're deep in thought about something." Magnus explained, pointing with his thumb at the people sitting right behind him. "And I'm going with the latter, because you clearly don't have much taste in what women wear."

"Well, yeah, I'm thinking about something." Alec answered.

"What is it?" Magnus said, leaning in closer as if he was about to hear a deep hidden secret.

"I was just thinking about why you're doing this for me. Because Camille is your best friend, and it would just seem weird that you really agree so strongly with this whole... idea." Alec said, averting is gaze away from Magnus.

"Who said I cared about who Camille dated? You know, it really doesn't bother me. But it's not like I see you two getting married or anything..." Magnus interjected. "I'm doing you a favor."

"A favor? How...? Besides helping me pick out clothes for tomorrow. Even then, I don't even know why you're doing this." Alec said confusingly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Magnus asked. "Why exactly are you going out on a date with Camille tomorrow? Who suggested you ask her out? Who are you doing this for...?"

Alec stared at him wide-eyed. "What does Jace have anything to do with this?" he asked.

Magnus smirked, trying not to laugh. "Look, Alec, I know that you care about him a lot. It's obvious."

"Obvious how?"

"Meaning, I see the way you look at him, the way you talk about him. And just by the way you act around him. It might be small things that you're friends don't notice, but I notice." Magnus said, looking straight at Alec.

"Are you saying I like him? Because I don't. I mean, it's impossible..." Alec said, struggling with his words. He was getting all flustered, his face starting to heat up.

"Oh come on, don't try to hide it." Magnus insisted.

"Hide what?" Alec said, almost shrieking, if he weren't in a public place.

Magnus stared at him for a minute, not saying anything. But then, his smirk turned into a wide grin. He seemed to be pleased about something, or looked as if he accomplished something. Alec was a little afraid of what he might answer, even though it was pretty predictable.

"Alec, I know you're gay."

**Oh snap! Did you all see that coming? I think maybe you did... but it doesn't matter. How will Alec react after Magnus revealed he knew of his sexuality? I don't know, you'll just have to wait and see next chapter. And next time, I'll try to not be late on updating. I know I said every Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday the latest, but as I said, I was busy. It'll happen that I update my chapters a little later than usual. I'm sorry in advance if it happens again. But this chapter is a page longer than the others! Anyway, tell me what you guys think, and please review! Bye! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay, again. I was incredibly busy, more than I was before. I've been getting a lot of homework at school, as well as a science test and an English project, so it's been getting in the way of my writing. But anyway, I'm not going to bore you with my explanations. I'll let you read the long awaited chapter. So please enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own anything, so you won't sue me.**

Chapter Six

At first, Alec didn't process what Magnus had just said. He thought maybe he had imagined it, that he heard wrong. He really did _hope _he didn't hear right. Had Alec really been that obvious in Magnus' eyes?

"What?" Alec asked, his voice coming out breathless.

"I said, I know you're gay." Magnus repeated more slowly.

"But... I don't think... and I... I just..." Alec suddenly started to stutter, unable to answer in a proper sentence. It had never happened before that someone figured out he was gay, not unless he told them straight out. He had no clue how to react, or what to say.

Magnus only chuckled. "See? I'm right, aren't I? If you weren't, you wouldn't seem so flustered about it. But it's clear that you are. At least for me it is."

"How... how do you notice these things?" Alec had so many questions in his head, that they were all jumbled up and he didn't know what to start with. He was surprised he could speak normally again.

"I guess I'm just a good observer. I notice things easily." his friend answered simply.

"Okay," Alec let out an exasperated breath. "How long have you figured this out?"

"First day I met you."

"You... the first day? Why?" Alec's eyes grew even wider than before.

"What do you mean, why? I just figured it out. Like I said before, though, you made it obvious by the way you were looking at Jace." Magnus explained.

"I guess it makes sense..." Alec started to go deep into thought, thinking a few weeks back when he had first met Magnus. Had he really been that obvious that his new friend figured it out so quickly? It didn't make much sense, because no one else figured it out, and he had known his friends for a good few years at least. Alec was good at hiding his sexuality, but maybe around Magnus it was different.

"How many people know?" Magnus asked suddenly.

"Well... Isabelle and Max know." Alec answered, snapping back to reality.

"No one else? Not even your parents?" his sparkly friend seemed a little shocked himself.

"No, they don't, because they're never home. I don't see a point in telling them." Alec answered. "They don't know half the people Isabelle dated, anyway."

"Oh, right. I remember you telling me they were lawyers." Magnus nodded. "It must suck."

"I'm used to it..." Alec trailed off and looked away, not wanting to get into that topic right now. "Anyway, don't tell anyone else, okay? You're the only person who's figured it out. Or at least, you're the only person who figured it out and told me to my face."

"If that's what you want, I promise." Magnus seemed completely serious when he said it. "You don't want to tell your parents, though?"

"No," Alec repeated. "Not until I find someone to come out with."

"Meaning, when you get a boyfriend, you'll tell your parents you're gay?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, looking down at his finished sandwich and untouched cookies. He didn't say it out loud, but he was thinking that he had always wanted Jace to be the person he would come out with.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but how do feel about your parents?" Magnus asked another question out of the blue.

Alec stared at him for a minute, his eyes serious. "I don't know what to think about them when they're never there." he said. "I wish they weren't always away from the house. It's more for Max's sake, though. He's still young."

Magnus slowly nodded. "It must be hard."

"It is, but... I have to live with it anyway. I've done it for a while that I don't know how else to do things." Alec explained.

"You don't have to feel so insecure about yourself, Alec." Magnus said. "Just because you're parents aren't even there, and you feel as if you can't tell anyone about your sexuality, it doesn't mean you have to follow that."

"I know... I just... it's hard for me. I'm afraid." Alec immediately looked back down at his cookies, not wanting to look at his friend in the eyes.

"It's normal to be afraid." Magnus reassured him. "But if I can do it, so can you."

Alec then couldn't resist but look up at his friend again and say, "It's different for you. You're so social and know what to say all the time. I'm the complete opposite. I can't talk to anyone I meet, and I always stumble with my words."

"If the people I cared about accepted the fact that I was bi, then your friends and family will accept it, too." Magnus said softly.

"I guess you're right..." Alec averted his eyes to the side, letting out a small sigh.

"Everything will be fine." Magnus gave him a nice smile that could probably reassure anyone.

Alec couldn't help but give him a small smile back. He then suddenly thought of something, and his smile disappeared. "What about your parents?"

Magnus' smile went away, too. He looked at his friend, a little startled. "What do you mean?"

"I haven't heard you talking about _your_ parents. Did they accept your sexuality too?" Alec explained.

"Well, no. My parents are dead." he answered seriously.

"Oh," Alec suddenly felt bad. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, it's been a while since they passed away." Magnus said, shrugging. He didn't seem to be sad, but he kept a serious face.

"How did they die?" Alec's curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn't stop himself as soon as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Car accident. It was on their anniversary, and my aunt and uncle were babysitting me. I was twelve." Magnus explained, still looking straight at Alec. It seemed that no matter what the subject, this sparkly student wouldn't break eye contact with whoever he was talking to.

"That's terrible..." Alec mumbled, thinking that Max was that age right now.

"Yeah, it was a pretty heavy blow on me. I was close to my parents. I live with my aunt and uncle—the one's that were babysitting me—and we get along well, so it's fine. But sometimes I miss them." Magnus admitted, his face still unreadable.

"I'm so sorry..." Alec repeated, unsure of what else to say. Almost hesitantly, he reached his hand out and placed it on top of Magnus', which was just resting on the table. He gave his hand a light squeeze in a reassuring way.

Magnus looked down at their hands, looking a little surprised. He probably didn't expect Alec to show a sign of reassurance like that. However, he didn't seem to mind, because he smiled widely, looking back up at his friend.

"There's no need to apologize." he said. Magnus then squeezed Alec's hand tightly. "But thank you."

Suddenly, Alec started to blush like crazy, and he swiped his hand away. "Well... um... thanks for sharing that. It's probably not something you tell anyone." he said.

Magnus chuckled lightly, crumpling his sandwich wrapper and getting up from his seat. He took his empty drink and said, "No problem. Are you going to eat your cookies?"

Alec looked down at his snack he still hadn't eaten yet, and bit his bottom lip. "Yeah, do you want one?" he asked, handing one of the chocolate chip cookies in his friend's direction.

Magnus stared at it for a few seconds, then shrugged. "Sure, why not?" he answered, setting his cup down and grabbing the cookie. He placed it in his mouth, holding it with his teeth, and grabbed his drink yet again, heading over to the garbage to throw everything away.

Alec ate his own cookie in silence, waiting for Magnus to finish throwing everything out. He stared at nothing in particular, lost in thought by what Magnus had just told him about his dead parents. He wasn't sure what to think about it, other than that his new friend probably trusted him in telling him something so personal. Unless to Magnus, it didn't bother him to tell people about it. He then wondered why the hell he held Magnus' hand, when he knew he would blush afterward.

"Ready to go, Alec?" Magnus snapped him back to reality, and Alec looked up at him surprisingly.

"Uh, sure." he nodded, already done his cookie. He grabbed his sandwich wrapper and empty drink and walked over to the garbage, while Magnus started to pick up their shopping bags. When Alec came back, he took some of the bags to carry.

"I just have one question." Magnus said once they started walking around the mall again.

"What?" Alec said curiously, glancing over at his friend.

"You didn't seem surprised when I said I was bi. Did you already know I was? Or was it just too obvious that it didn't surprise you." Magnus asked.

"Well, Camille told me. I asked her if you were gay, but she told me that you were actually bi." Alec answered, suddenly remembering how he figured it out.

"Camille told you? Huh, I see." the sparkly student said, looking back ahead of him and thinking thoughtfully.

There was a comfortable silence between the two friends as they walked passed many stores. Alec figured Magnus knew where they were going, because he said he knew exactly what he could get for Alec's date tomorrow. Alec was also wondering what Magnus was thinking about. He didn't look upset or anything—he had a smile of his face, actually—but he wasn't talking all that much. Alec didn't want to ask, so he just enjoyed the silence that was shared in between them.

"Okay, this is the store." Magnus said, extending an arm in front of Alec to stop him from walking. "There are a lot of nice clothes in here for special occasions, such as first dates."

"It's not really a date." Alec interjected, but realized there was no use in arguing at this point.

When the two got in the store, Magnus immediately started to look around at all the clothes. Apparently he already had an idea on what kind of outfit Alec should get, but he seemed unable to help himself from looking around and touching everything.

"Magnus, you're not going to pick out every single shirt in this store, are you?" Alec asked in an exasperated voice, looking over his friends shoulder as he picked up a few shirts off a shelf.

"As much as I wish I could see you try on everything in this store, no. But I'm picking out different colors to see which one looks best on you." he answered, looking back at Alec with a smile.

Since it made sense in Alec's mind, he let his friend go along with whatever else he was doing. All he had to do was wait patiently for Magnus, leaning on the wall close by and looking around the store at the other people.

As Alec was looking around, he spotted two people walking into the store, one looking strangely familiar. The two looked liked they were together, since they were holding hands. The girl wasn't the one Alec recognized, it was the boy. It took a few minutes for Alec to process that the tall guy he thought he knew was actually Jonathan. Alec's eyes grew wide and he quickly looked over at Magnus, who was still picking out shirts.

"Magnus," he said in a hurried whisper, and said person looked over at Alec. "We have to hide."

The sparkly student raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why?"

Alec pointed over at Jonathan and his supposed date. Thankfully they weren't looking in their direction—they had their backs turned to them. Magnus took on a smug look as he spotted Clary's brother, but he didn't seem in a hurry like Alec did.

"See Jonathan? If he sees us, who knows what's going to happen." Alec explained, still whispering. "Please, can we hide?"

Magnus chuckled lightly. "There's no need to hide."

Alec took on an angry look, and couldn't stop fidgeting as he glanced over at Jonathan and the girl. "We're hiding," he decided, and grabbed Magnus by the wrist, dragging him towards the changing rooms at a quick pace. Magnus nearly dropped the clothes, but he managed to keep them balanced in one arm as they headed into a changing room, Alec closing the door behind them.

Magnus set the clothes on the bench, along with their bags. Alec decided to sit on the bench with his legs crossed, so they wouldn't be suspicious of seeing two pairs of legs in one changing room. Alec let out a sigh of relief, his heart still pounding in his chest. Magnus was chuckling quietly.

"Why were you such in a hurry, Alec? You looked as if you were having a heart attack." Magnus asked in a whisper, smiling widely.

"Because Jonathan is in the same store as us! Why is he here anyway? Out of any other day, he decided to come to this mall with his date today!" Alec whispered angrily, looking as if he was about to throw something.

"Relax, Alec. You'll attract people over here if you keep on talking like that." Magnus said, motioning with his hand that he should quiet down.

Alec dug his hands into his hair, looking as if he was going to rip it all off. He sucked in a breath, as if telling himself to calm down. Magnus stood there, facing Alec and watching him intently while he slowly regained his calm. He was still smiling widely, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Have you finally become sane again?" Magnus asked, once Alec had calmed down.

Alec glanced over at his friend and rolled his eyes, smiling a little. "Yes," he answered.

Suddenly, Alec heard two voices that sounded very close to them—right outside of the changing room, actually. One was a girl laughing, and the other was a guy, sounding very familiar. Alec immediately realized that it was Jonathan. His eyes grew wide in shock, and he started to get all nervous again.

"Alec, what's—" Magnus started, but Alec quickly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down so he could reach out and place a hand on his mouth, interrupting him.

"Ssh! Don't say a word, Jonathan is right there!" Alec whispered.

Magnus' eyebrows were raised, a surprised look on his face. But as the seconds passed, and Alec didn't release his grip on his friend, Magnus was smiling under his hand, looking as if he wanted to laugh. Alec quickly realized the situation and clumsily backed his hand away from Magnus' mouth, blushing slightly.

"You have to calm down, Alec." Magnus whispered, still crouched at his eye level, smiling brightly.

Alec gently pushed Magnus away from him, causing him to straighten up. "I know, but what are we going to do? We can't wait here forever while Jonathan's girlfriend or whatever gets changed right beside us." he explained, since Jonathan had gone quiet when the girl went into the changing room.

Magnus shrugged. "Don't know. If you really don't want him to spot us, we have to wait." he answered, still whispering.

"Obviously," Alec said crossly. "Wouldn't it be odd to find two guys coming out of a changing room?"

"I've done weirder things." Magnus stated, and Alec glared at him, clearly not in a joking mood.

"Guess we have to wait." Alec decided.

There were a few minutes of silence, with Alec sitting cross-legged and Magnus standing there watching Alec with a wide smile on his face. Eventually the door opened to the changing room next to them, and Jonathan and whoever he was with started talking.

"How does this look?" the girl asked.

"You look great." Jonathan's voice sounded surprisingly friendly. "Especially with those skinny jeans." The girl giggled.

Magnus snorted quietly. "Please, he doesn't know how to compliment a girl. If I were him, I'd go straight out and say she looked sexy."

"Will you shut up?" Alec hissed, frowning.

"Oh come on, don't you want tips on how to compliment people?" Magnus asked him, but as Alec gave him a nasty glare, he knew he should shut his mouth.

The time was passing slowly and painfully for Alec. His legs were starting to fall asleep, and that girl Jonathan was with was still trying on clothes, Jonathan complimenting her every time she would come back out of the changing room with a new outfit. Magnus was now leaning against one of the walls of the changing room, with the mirror facing him. He was checking himself out, fixing his hair and smirking, obviously trying to be funny.

Alec rolled his eyes and let out a small sigh. "This is really getting uncomfortable..." he mumbled, shifting positions to try to get a bit more comfortable, and possibly get the feeling back in his legs.

"You know, I just got an idea." Magnus started, after he was done looking at himself in the mirror. "You should try on the clothes I picked out for you right now while where waiting for Mr. Slow Ass to finish."

Alec looked at Magnus incredulously. "What? No, I'm not doing that."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll be staring at me while I get changed. It's weird." Alec answered, scrunching up his nose a little.

"It's just like as if we were in the changing rooms at school, Alec." Magnus interjected, his hands on his hips.

"No, it's not. We're in a way tighter space, and the only thing you can see is me while I'm changing." Alec pointed out.

"Please try and explain to me what the problem is with that situation." Magnus said, and he soon after received a punch in the arm from Alec. Magnus clenched his teeth, trying not to cry out in pain.

"Stop joking around, Magnus." Alec whispered. "I'll get changed when they leave. I'm sure they won't take too long. I think she's almost done."

Magnus mumbled something that Alec didn't hear, so he just decided to ignore him. A few more minutes had passed, and as Alec had predicted, it didn't take long for the girl to try on her clothes. Soon enough Jonathan's voice faded away from them, along with the girl's laughter.

"Finally," Alec let out a sigh of relief, stretching his legs out as far as he could.

"So, how do we do this?" Magnus asked, smiling slyly.

"Do what?"

"How do we get out of here? If we both get out of the changing room at the same time, it'll still cause suspicions." Magnus explained. "Not to mention people could have seen us sneaking in before."

"First of all, I made sure no one was paying attention when we snuck into the changing room. Second, we won't come out at the same time." Alec explained. "You're going to slowly and cautiously make your way out of the changing room, while making sure no one sees you."

Magnus nodded. "Makes sense."

"All right, go ahead and open the door a little to see if anyone is close by." Alec said hurriedly.

"Wait," Magnus said, putting his hand up in front of him. "I have one question."

"What?"

"Why exactly did you want to hide from Jonathan? I could have handled him if he saw us." Magnus asked.

Alec let out another sigh. "Look, he doesn't like you, and he seems to want to get back at you after you insulted him. So if he saw you, who knows how things would have turned out."

"Really? I see..." Magnus said, hiding a mischievous smile. "That's really your reason?"

"Yes," Alec answered irritably. "Why?"

"I just thought it might have been for another reason. You don't have to hide your sexuality from everyone, you know." Magnus explained.

Alec looked at him confusingly. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before he said anything. Then, after a few more seconds of processing, it finally clicked. Alec frowned. "_Magnus_."

"Your faces are priceless, sweetheart." Magnus chuckled, smiling widely.

"Just go on with the plan, please." Alec said, clearly tired.

And so, Magnus did as Alec suggested. He carefully opened the door and peeked outside, making sure no one was looking. When the coast was clear, the sparkly student slipped out of the changing room and closed the door. Alec let out a sigh of relief, getting up and finally getting the chance to try on some clothes.

It didn't take too long for Alec to try on everything Magnus had picked out—there were only shirts. Most of them were button down shirts, anyway. But as Alec was trying on all of his clothes, and showing them to Magnus afterward, he was thinking deeply about something. The reason why he didn't want Jonathan to see him and Magnus at the mall was because he was always trouble, and he really disliked Magnus. He never even thought it was because Jonathan would suspect that Alec and Magnus were dating. So, did it seem like that to everyone else in this store? That he and Magnus were dating? Alec really hoped that wasn't the case.

"I think the black button down shirt looked best on you." Magnus commented. "We should get that one."

"Fine with me." Alec nodded.

With that said, Alec purchased the shirt, and he realized that they were all done their shopping. Alec was very relieved, but he was surprised that he had a pretty good time, despite the fact that he hated shopping. And that they encountered Jonathan.

"Well, I had a lot of fun." Magnus smiled. "What about you?"

"Yeah, me too. I actually enjoyed myself more than I thought I would." Alec answered truthfully, smiling a little.

"Like I said before, it's always fun with me." Magnus winked.

Alec couldn't help but blush a little, and his smile widened. "Yeah, for sure."

The evening had really gone better than expected. It had also been a lot more eventful than Alec ever suspected it would be. Of course, he knew Magnus would embarrass him as they were shopping, but he wasn't expecting to see Jonathan. That was a very unpleasant surprise. But the thing that surprised Alec the most was the conversation he had with Magnus when they were eating. He had discovered that Magnus knew of his sexuality the first day they met. And Alec figured out that his parents died when Magnus was only twelve.

After everything that happened, Alec couldn't help but wonder what he and Magnus were to each other at this point.

* * *

It was dark by the time Magnus parked in Alec's driveway. When Alec checked his watch, it was passed ten o'clock. He was surprised they had been at the mall for so long, but then again, they had arrived near suppertime, and they ate later than usual.

Magnus stopped the engine, the headlights that illuminated the whole front of the house turned off, making it very dark. The sparkly student looked over at Alec, turning his whole body to the side.

"Well, this is your stop." he said with a smile.

Alec nodded. "Thank you so much for bringing me to the mall. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, sweetheart." Magnus said, his grin widening.

There was a moment of silence. Alec didn't know what else to say, so he just stared at Magnus. His friend was staring at him back, and the smiles on their faces were gone. It was all serious now, and Alec's heart started to beat faster as the time passed. For the first time he saw Magnus' eyes very clearly. He already knew they were a green-yellow, but up close he could see that they were actually a light green with yellow specks around the irises. They were very captivating, alluring. As if Magnus' eyes had a sort of effect on him, Alec felt very nervous, so he cleared his throat and looked away.

"Well, uh, thanks again." Alec said, scratching the back of his head.

Magnus had an amused look on his face. "No problem. Need help with carrying your bags?"

"No, I'm good." Alec shook his head. "I can carry them myself."

"Alright," Magnus winked. "Have fun on your date tomorrow."

Alec blushed a little, and then nodded. "I'll try."

After saying their goodbyes, Alec got out of Magnus' car, all of his shopping bags in hand. It wasn't too much to carry, but it was still a lot more than he was used to. He tried to be quiet when he unlocked the door to his house and stepped inside with all of his bags. Alec turned around to look in the driveway, and saw that Magnus was already driving away.

As soon as he locked the door and turned back around, Alec found Isabelle in her pajamas standing there with her arms crossed, with a big smile on her face. She looked as if she was very amused, as if she was expecting him to say something.

"What?" Alec asked irritably, setting his bags on the ground.

"Need help with those bags, brother?" she asked.

"I'm good, thanks." he answered, taking off his shoes and jacket. Isabelle didn't seem to want to listen to him, because she picked up a few bags anyway. Alec rolled his eyes, but didn't protest.

The two siblings walked to Alec's room in silence, until Isabelle said, "So, how was the date?"

"It wasn't a date, Isabelle." Alec corrected.

"It totally was." she interjected. "But did you guys kiss?"

Alec nearly dropped his bags. He stopped walking and turned to his sister with wide eyes. "What makes you think we did that?"

Isabelle shrugged. "I saw you guys in Magnus' car from the front window. It looked like you were going to kiss him, but you chickened out the last second and turned away."

Alec's cheeks flushed while he frowned at his sister. "We weren't going to kiss."

"You're so in denial, Alec." Isabelle said sternly.

Thinking he had enough, Alec kept on walking, heading into his room with his sister right behind him. They both dropped the bags on the floor next to his bed. Alec then looked over at his sister, looking a little tired and waiting for her to get out. But that really wasn't the case.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" she asked.

Alec sighed annoyingly. "It's actually none of your business."

"Why? You're not going to tell me because something embarrassing happened, right?" Isabelle guessed, which caused Alec to remember that time they were hiding in the changing room.

"No," he said slowly. "I just don't have to tell you."

"Please?" Isabelle begged, giving her brother a pleading look.

"No."

"Come on, Alec! Just one little thing..."

"I said no! Now get out of my room."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me one thing." Isabelle decided, crossing her arms.

"You're such a baby..." Alec said.

Isabelle didn't say anything or moved a muscle. She just stood there, her two feet planted on the floor with her arms still crossed and her look determined. She really did want to know what happened in between Alec and Magnus. Not that anything actually _happened_.

"Fine, want to know something?" Alec asked angrily. "Magnus knows I'm gay."

Isabelle suddenly gaped at her brother. "He does?"

"Yes, but don't tell anyone else about it, okay?" Alec said seriously.

"This is great!" Isabelle ignored her brother's words. "Now you can tell him you love him!"

"I don't love him!" Alec nearly shrieked, but he remembered that his younger brother could possibly be asleep, and that his parents were already home by now.

"You're so in denial, I swear." Isabelle pouted. "Can't you just admit it?"

"There's nothing to admit." Alec said a little more calmly. "You know I still like Jace."

Isabelle looked at her brother with slight surprise, as if she wasn't expecting him to mention Jace in this conversation. "I know you do."

"There, see?" Alec seemed proud to have finally shut her up. "Now don't tell anyone about this."

"Okay, I won't." Isabelle nodded.

Before anything else could be said, there was a small knock on Alec's opened bedroom door. Isabelle turned around while Alec looked over at the doorway, and saw both of his parents standing there, looking serious as always. Alec hoped they didn't hear any part of that conversation.

"Mom, dad." he greeted, trying not to sound too awkward. He suddenly realized that he didn't tell his parents that he was going to the mall. He looked over at Isabelle and hoped she told their parents about Alec's plans.

"How was your time at the mall?" his mother asked, not sounding very angry.

"Fine," Alec answered, expecting either one of them to blow up at him, but nothing happened. So Isabelle had told them that he was going to the mall. He secretly thanked her.

"We also heard you have a date tomorrow." his father stated. Robert always looked like he was angry about something, because of his serious eyes and squared features. He was also pretty big and tall, so he could seem pretty intimidating. Alec sometimes wondered if he looked like his father, like some people said, but he couldn't really see it. The only thing that resembled him and his father were the same black hair and blue eyes.

"Um, yeah." Alec said slowly. So, Isabelle seemed to have told them _that _too.

"And we've never heard any of this. Why is that?" his father went on.

"Because I couldn't find the chance to tell you." Alec answered. "You're almost never home."

Maryse and Robert exchanged a look, before their mother said, "It would have been nice if you would have given us a call before leaving to the mall today, Alexander, instead of your sister telling us everything."

"I know," Alec said, and didn't bother arguing because he knew his parents would get mad if he did. "I'm sorry."

"Next time, it would be nice if you informed us about what you're doing." Robert said, and Alec nodded.

"Also, we'd like to know more about Magnus and Camille, since we don't know them either." Maryse added.

"But I already told you about them." Isabelle pointed out. "Why would he—"

"Quiet, Isabelle. We weren't talking to you." their father interrupted, putting his hand up in a gesture to shut her up. Isabelle pouted.

"I understand," Alec said quietly. "I'll introduce you to them whenever they come over."

"Thank you," their mother said. "Now, you know why your father and I are telling you this, right?"

"Yes."

"Good," Maryse nodded. "Now if you two are going to be talking, please be quiet. Max fell asleep, and we're getting ready to go to bed soon. Your father and I have to get up early."

"Okay," Alec and Isabelle said in unison. After that, their parents left Alec's room, closing the door behind them.

Alec sat at the foot of his bed, his face completely blank. Why would his parents be concerned about who he hung out with? They never really cared before. Alec was a little frustrated that they expected him to tell them everything, when they were never at home in the first place. It didn't make sense to him. Isabelle seemed to have said something, but Alec didn't hear it. He was too deep in thought.

* * *

When Alec woke up the next morning, he really didn't feel like getting out of bed. The covers were drawn up over his head, and he felt absolutely comfortable with his head on his pillow. But he knew he had a date with Camille so he had to get up eventually. Besides, Camille said she'd call him on this day to make sure they had everything in order. And he had no idea when she would call.

Alec finally dragged himself out of bed, and the first thing he did was check his cellphone on his bedside table. All he had were texts from Jace, Jordan, Sebastian, Simon and Magnus, telling him to have a great time with Camille today. Magnus had also said that he shouldn't forget the outfit he was to wear. Alec rolled his eyes at that.

As expected, Maryse and Robert were already gone by the time Alec got out of his room and took a seat at the kitchen table. Max had already eaten his breakfast, and was now in the living room playing on his DS, while Isabelle was still eating her breakfast, watching whatever was on the television from the kitchen.

"Hey," Isabelle greeted, her voice a little muffled because of the food in her mouth.

"Morning," Alec yawned, looking down at his eggs and bacon. At least his mother made him breakfast before she left.

"Excited for your date tonight?" Isabelle asked, without her mouth full this time. She seemed to have gotten her manners back.

"Yeah, I guess." Alec shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to talk while he was eating his breakfast.

Isabelle seemed to have gotten the message, because she stuck her tongue out at him, then went back to looking at the television.

Later that day, when Alec and his siblings had finished lunch, and he was in his room taking out all the clothes he bought yesterday and sorting through them, his cellphone buzzed. When he saw that it was Camille, he quickly answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Alec," Camille greeted. "Um, how are you?"

"Good," Alec answered, feeling a little awkward. "And you?"

"Pretty good." she answered. "So, we're still good for tonight?"

"Yup, I'll be picking you up at your house at five-thirty, then we'll head downtown." Alec said.

"You know where I live, right?"

"Oh, yeah I do. You texted me your address the other day."

"Alright, that's good." There was a pause. "So, I'll see you at five-thirty?"

"See you then." Alec said with a smile, hoping he sounded friendly.

When they both hung up, Alec let out a small sigh. It's not like he didn't want to go at all. He had a feeling it wouldn't be that bad of an evening. Camille seemed really nice and everything, and they both went along just fine. It was just that everyone thought it was a serious date, and that Alec and Camille _liked _each other in that way. Alec had a bad feeling about what would happen _after_ their date. Jace would have too many expectations for everything to go along well.

Alec looked back down at his pile of clothes on his bed, and took out his black button down shirt and the nicest pair of jeans of the bunch. He looked at it for a minute, seeing that it really wasn't him to be wearing clothes like that. Somehow, Magnus was changing him. At least, changing him on how he dressed. And it was odd, because Alec didn't mind at all. He actually liked it.

As he was putting away all of his other clothes, he started to think about what happened yesterday. He still couldn't get over how Magnus told him something so personal and probably something he didn't really tell anyone. No matter how much he tried to think of other things, his thoughts kept going back to Magnus. Alec shook his head, telling himself that he was going out on a date with _Camille_. He couldn't think about anyone else right now, because he knew Jace was counting on him to make this date go perfectly.

But Alec wasn't sure if he could do that.

**Okay! So in this chapter, Alec and Camille were supposed to go on their date, but ever since I added that scene where Alec and Magnus hide from Jonathan at the mall, there wasn't enough room. But oh well, more Malec for everyone! :D But anyway, I think I'll be updating on the weekends from now on. Not sure. It depends on how busy I am (which I was for the past two weeks). But anyway, hope you liked this chapter, and I'll try my best to update faster next time! Bye! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am deeply sorry for the delay yet again. But lately I've gotten even more busy, just when I thought things would die down. But now, school has thrown me projects here and there, lots of homework and unexpected tests and quizzes, so it's definitely been getting in the way of my writing... again. I'll be very busy for the next few days, but I'll explain after. First, I'll let you all read the chapter. Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. Only in my dreams.**

Chapter Seven

Alec was nervous. Extremely nervous. He wasn't exactly sure why he was so anxious all of a sudden. He knew he'd be a little uneasy with the idea of going out on a date with Camille, but he didn't know it would be this bad.

It was getting close to five-thirty, so Alec was ready to leave any minute. Based on the address and directions Camille gave him, her house really wasn't that far. It usually didn't take long to drive from place to place anywhere. He was already dressed in his black button down shirt and nice pair of jeans—he even put on some cologne—and took a nice hot shower before that. Now his palms were all sweaty, and he couldn't stand still.

"You look a little nervous." Isabelle observed, sitting on the couch in the living room while Alec searched for his wallet.

"Shut up, Izzy." he snapped, finding his wallet under a stack of papers—it was Isabelle's unfinished homework—on the table.

"What did I do wrong? I'm just stating the obvious." his sister said, raising her hands up in a defensive way.

"Exactly. You're just teasing me." Alec pointed out, looking over at her accusingly. He stuffed his wallet in his jean pocket.

"Stop being so grouchy." Isabelle said, crossing her arms in a childish way. "Is it your time of the month, Alexandra?"

At that, Alec glared at his sister. "Call me that again and I swear you'll regret it."

Isabelle bit her bottom lip. She then said in an almost inaudible whisper, "Sorry, Alexandra."

Alec seemed to have heard it anyway, because he bent down and smacked the back of her head. She quickly reacted and placed her hand right where he hit her.

"Ow! You hit me!" she yelled, reaching up to hit him back, but he already moved out of the way.

"Told you you'd regret it." he said, trying to hide a smile as he walked out of the living room. "Mom, dad! I'm leaving now!"

Isabelle mumbled something about how he was just like a PMSing bitch, but this time her brother didn't hear her. He was already out of the room and talking to their parents, who had just walked over to him.

"Be back before eleven, please." his mother said once she, Robert and Alec were all standing at the front entrance.

"I know, mom." Alec answered, realizing that he never had a conversation like this with his parents. Probably because he's never been on a date, _period_.

"And if anything happens, just give us a call. We'll be here for the rest of the night." his father added.

Alec simply nodded, slipping on his jacket and shoes. For that short period of time earlier, he stopped being nervous. But now the anxiousness had come back. For a second he was thinking about canceling the date and staying home.

"Alright, well, go have fun then." Maryse finished, placing a hand on her son's shoulder, while Robert patted his back.

"Yeah, have fun bro." Isabelle smirked, who had walked over to them just now. She was staring at Alec with a look as if they were communicating telepathically. As weird as it was, Alec knew _exactly _what she was thinking: it was extremely ironic that his first date was with a _girl_, and that he probably felt extremely uncomfortable and not excited. Alec glared at his sister in response.

Max suddenly walked over to the rest of the family, looking a little confused. Usually, he would live in his own little world when he would be watching cartoons or playing video games in his room. So when he came back to the real world, he always had a lost look on his face. Alec and Isabelle found it pretty amusing.

"You're leaving on your date now?" Max asked curiously.

"Yup," Alec said, and looked down at his watch. It was nearly five-thirty, so he had to leave now if he was to arrive at Camille's house on time. "I should be leaving now."

"Okay," Max said simply. "Have fun."

"Thanks, buddy." Alec smiled a little, and ruffled his little brother's hair. Max immediately ducked out of the way, looking embarrassed that he was being treated like a kid. It was a good thing that Max didn't mention out loud how Alec going on a date with Camille didn't make much sense, but he seemed to have understood the situation.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Alec made his way down the steps and towards his car. When he started it up and made his way out of the driveway, he felt his heart thump loudly in his chest. Even when he turned up the music on the radio, Alec was still distracted by how nervous he was. He even took deep breaths and tightened his grip on the steering wheel while concentrating on the road to try to calm down a bit.

As he predicted, it only took about ten minutes to get to Camille's house, so it really wasn't that far away. When her house came into view, he immediately noticed how nice it was. The house was mostly white, with a nice flower garden along the front of the house. The front porch was pretty big and wide, and the doors looked to be made of really expensive wood. Alec was pretty impressed.

After parking in the driveway—which had two other cars parked in it, and still had a fair amount of room left—Alec took a deep breath and slowly made his way to the front door. He rang the doorbell, and waiting patiently, his hands in his jacket pockets. Eventually someone answered the door. Relief washed over Alec when he saw that it was Camille. He wouldn't know what to say if it were one of her parents.

"Hi, Alec." she greeted with a small smile.

"Hey Camille." he said with a simple nod of the head.

"Come on in." she said, opening the door wider to let Alec inside. When he saw what she was wearing, he had to admit she looked really good.

Camille was wearing really nice dark skinny jeans, along with a flattering pink top with flowery designs on them. Her hair was loose, as it usually was, and Alec could detect a faint smell of perfume. She smelled like flowers—like the one's on her top. She had a silver necklace, along with matching earrings and bracelets.

"You look really good." Alec commented, after a short minute of silence.

"Thanks," Camille said sincerely, "I was going to say the same thing about you. You look really nice."

"Oh, thanks." Alec was surprised that she complimented him. He probably wasn't used to anyone complimenting him, anyway. He never really cared about what he wore.

"Just give me a minute, I need to go get my purse." she said suddenly, and when Alec nodded, she turned around and walked into another room.

It took less than five minutes for Camille to come back with her purse in hand. Alec was glad, because he hated to wait all by himself in silence and awkwardness. He then started to wonder if Camille's parents were actually here, because they didn't seem to have heard the doorbell or anything. But that question was quickly answered.

"Mom, dad! I'm going out now!" Camille exclaimed.

Suddenly, Alec heard footsteps coming in their direction. When they came into the front entrance, he could immediately tell that these were Camille's parents. The mother looked just like Camille, except she looked older, and the father had nearly the same blond hair. Instead of green eyes like Camille and the mother, his were gray.

"Hello," the mother greeted with a kind smile. "You must be Alec."

"Yes," Alec said shyly, the butterflies returning to his stomach.

"Very nice to finally meet you, Alec." Camille's mother said, extending her hand out towards him. He quickly reached out and shook her hand.

"Likewise, ma'am." he said simply, glancing over at Camille, who gave him a reassuring smile.

"Please, call me Celine." the mother laughed lightly. She then motioned to Camille's father, who hadn't said a word yet. "This is my husband, Tristan."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Alec said timidly, taking his hand out towards him.

"Indeed it is, Alec." Tristan said, shaking his hand firmly. Alec thought it was necessary to tighten his grip, too. "Nice grip." the father commented with a small smile.

"Thank you." Alec suddenly felt a little proud that he impressed Camille's father a little. Not that he intended to go out with Camille, though. He just didn't want to be hated by her parents.

"Well, we won't keep you any longer." Celine said. "How long will you be out?"

"I'll be bringing Camille home before eleven." Alec explained. "We're just going out for supper, and possibly just walk around downtown."

"Yes, that sounds fine." the mother smiled once more.

"Go have fun, you two." Tristan said, nodding towards the door.

After a few more thanks and goodbyes, Alec and Camille made their way out of her house. Remembering something that guys did in movies when they were going out on a date, Alec went over to the passenger's seat and opened the door for Camille before she could.

"Thank you," she said, sounding a little impressed by his gesture.

Alec nodded shyly, and waited for Camille to be seated and buckled in before closing the door. He then made his way to the driver's seat, and got in himself. He started the car, and looked over at Camille with the same timid face. Alec wondered if she could tell he was super shy and nervous right now.

"Any specific place you want to go to downtown?" he asked her.

"Hm..." Camille seemed deep in thought, but in the end she just shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Just surprise me."

"Okay," Alec said, and as he turned over to the steering wheel and drove out of the driveway, he was starting to think of a good restaurant to bring her to.

As he was driving, Alec was trying his best to stay perfectly calm. He was starting to regret the idea of going out on a date with Camille, just because he knew something was going to go wrong. He started to shake a little, so Alec tighten his grip on the steering wheel, to make it less obvious. To make things worse, his palms were all sweaty, so they were slipping off the wheel a little. Alec let out a small cough, and slowly put the volume on the radio up a little to ease his tension. He glanced over at Camille, who gave him a small smile. He couldn't tell if she was nervous too.

Alec had a feeling that this was going to be a long evening.

* * *

In the end, Alec decided to pick out a nice steakhouse restaurant in downtown Brooklyn. He knew that Camille wasn't a vegetarian, so it seemed like a pretty safe choice. Everyone loved meat. Besides, the steakhouses in Brooklyn were, in his opinion, the best.

"Good choice, Alec." Camille said, for once a full wide smile on her face. "I love steak."

"Me too." he said. He opened the door for Camille, got a thank you, and walked into the restaurant right after her.

The two were quickly greeted by the woman at the front desk. Alec asked for a table for two, and luckily for them there was an open table for them. Alec really didn't want to get stuck waiting twenty to thirty minutes for a table, standing in awkwardness.

The table they were given was one right next to a window, which Alec found pretty nice. Every time there would be an awkward silence, he could gaze out the window to make things seem less weird. As soon as the two sat down, they started to look at their menus. Alec was trying to make small talk about school and other stuff, which Camille would answer back in short sentences. Even after they got their drinks, they still couldn't hold onto a conversation for very long. Regret started to overtake Alec's mind all over again.

Suddenly, the waitress came back to take their orders, and Alec felt very thankful. Even though it took less than a minute for both Alec and Camille to tell the girl what they wanted, at least it wasted a bit of time.

"So, Camille." Alec decided to give it another go in starting a conversation. "How did you and Magnus become friends? You two never said much about your childhood."

"Well, you already know that we were about ten years old at the time. But basically, we had to move to another city in California—that's where we lived before we moved here—and we ended up moving in the same neighborhood Magnus lived in. I remember his family greeting us as soon as we moved in. And since Magnus is such a social person, he immediately befriended me." Camille explained. "We've literally been best friends ever since."

"Wow, for that long, huh? I don't know many people who have had such a long friendship." Alec admitted.

"Really? How long have you know all of your friends?" Camille asked.

"Oh, Jace and I have known each other since we were born." Alec said. "Although I've only known everyone else since high school."

"Since you were born? How did that happen?" Camille started to sound a little bit interested now.

"Well, my parents and his parents have been good friends since _they_ were in high school. So when they had Jace and I, we ended up always playing together." Alec said with a small smile on his face, remembering the good times they had when they were little kids. "We've become best friends that way."

"I you ask me, that's pretty impressive. Being best friends with someone you're whole life is rare." Camille said. "You're pretty lucky."

"Yeah, I suppose I am. I could do without Jace being so arrogant all the time, though." Alec replied jokingly, but didn't dare say out loud that he would have liked it if Jace were gay, too.

"He wasn't arrogant since you two were little, right?" Camille asked.

"No, not necessarily. He was always the competitive type, though. I guess he started acting arrogant when it came to the age that girls started crushing on him." Alec was trying to remember when his best friend started to act all high and mighty. He wasn't sure why he was never so annoyed with Jace's attitude that he wanted to stop being his friend. But he never did. He could never truly be mad at Jace, because at around that age, that's when Alec started to discover that he had feelings for his best friend.

"I suppose that explains a lot." Camille said. "Even I have to admit that Jace is gorgeous."

Alec chuckled. "You're not the first person who's said that."

"I guess not, huh?" she chuckled softly in turn, while taking a sip of her drink.

After a few more minutes, Alec and Camille's food finally came. Until now, Alec didn't realize how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten since lunch, so he was finally glad he could eat something. Although he remembered reading somewhere that, during a date, neither the guy or girl should pig out in front of the other. Alec had to hold himself back as he stared at his steak hungrily.

"It looks really good." Camille commented, looking at her own steak.

Alec only nodded his head as he started to take a bite out of his delicious meal. There were a few minutes of silence once more while the two were eating and enjoying their food, but Alec found it normal. People usually didn't talk much when they were eating something they were really enjoying.

However, something was going through Alec's mind as he was eating. Naturally, it was another question about her and Magnus as kids—well, mostly about Magnus. He mentally scolded himself for thinking about his sparkly friend yet again while he was on his date with Camille.

"This might seem like an odd question to ask, but I really have to ask you." Alec started, and he seemed to have gotten his friend's attention, because she stopped what she was eating and looked at him with her curious green eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, Magnus told me that when he was twelve... his parents, uh... died. And you've known him since you two were ten, so you obviously knew him before it all happened." Alec explained slowly, and Camille's face showed shock. "I just wanted to know more about it, without asking Magnus himself. I figured you would know almost as much as him."

Camille was quiet for a moment. She set her fork gently back down on her plate, and straightened up on her chair. She blinked a few times, opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind and closed it. She seemed speechless.

"I'm sorry." Alec suddenly felt stupid for bringing it up. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"No, it's just..." Camille trailed off, looking out the window. But then, she looked back at Alec curiously. "When did Magnus tell you about that?"

Alec said nothing. He then realized what he had said just now, and that it probably wasn't the smartest thing to have asked. But he couldn't help himself, even if he tried. He had to ask Camille more questions, although it seemed as if she wanted to ask him a few things first.

"He told me yesterday." Alec said slowly. "We were just talking on the phone, and it just came up when we were talking about, well, random stuff, I guess." He didn't want to mention that it had been brought up when they were talking about Alec being gay. That was a topic he wanted to avoid.

Camille frowned. "Magnus told me that you two were at the mall yesterday to pick something out for our date today." she admitted. "Besides, I don't think you would have picked out the clothes you're wearing right now by yourself."

Alec felt a little insulted by the comment, although he had to admit it was undeniably true. Camille would have probably figured out that his outfit was newly bought—since at school he never wore something like this—and that someone was there to help him find something.

"He did?" Alec said, unsure of how to answer. "Well, he didn't say it because he wanted to. It was just an accident." For some reason he thought it would make things better if he said that.

"So did he tell you over the phone, or when you were at the mall?" Camille asked, leaning forward a little, and Alec could sense that she knew he had lied.

"Um... well, it was at the mall." he answered. "I didn't know if I should have told you."

"Why not? It's not like anything you and Magnus do is private." Camille said, her voice starting to sound a little edgy. "Right?"

"Well, no." Alec agreed. "It's just... I don't know. I just thought it wasn't important to mention."

"Huh," Camille said simply, and looked back out the window. She was starting to do that a lot now. Alec found it a little unsettling. "How much did he tell you?"

"Well, all he said was that his parents died in a car accident on their anniversary. So now he lives with his aunt and uncle; the ones that were babysitting him that night." he explained

"Okay," Camille looked back at Alec, looking less angry. "There's not much else you need to know, though."

"Oh," Alec said. "I thought maybe there was something else. I was just curious, that's all."

"No, there's nothing else. Obviously he was depressed for a while, but as the years went on, he slowly moved on." Camille explained, going back to her food.

"Right, that makes sense." Alec nodded, eating his own food now. He thought that their conversation was done, since Camille was no longer looking at Alec, but at her plate. That wasn't the case, though, since Camille spoke up again.

"You seem to want to know a lot about Magnus." she said quietly.

"I don't know that much about him." Alec admitted. "I guess I just get curious sometimes."

"Magnus is a complicated person. More than you might think." Camille said. "He doesn't like to tell a lot of people about himself."

"Really? I never got why he told me about his parents. It's a touchy subject."

"I'm not really sure either." Camille said almost bitterly. "You two seem to be getting close, it seems. You hang out with him a lot, you talk to him a lot..."

Alec suddenly blushed a little, and he hoped the dim lighting of the restaurant hid that. "I wouldn't say we're close."

"Is that so?" Camille asked. "Because you talk to him a lot more than you do with me. And here you are on a date with me."

"Yeah..."

"That's what I don't get. Why did you ask me out on a date?"

"Because, I thought it would be nice." Alec answered lamely.

"Really?" Camille didn't seem convinced.

Alec sighed. "Well, I guess Jace gave me the idea to ask you out. I never would have really thought of it otherwise."

"You seem to really like Jace if you're just hanging out with me because he suggested it to you." Camille observed.

"What do you mean?"

"Meaning, you _like_ Jace." When Alec stared at her wide-eyed, and was about to protest, she interrupted him. "Magnus and I both figured out that you like him. We talked about it on the first day of school."

"You too?" Alec said in an exasperated voice.

"Of course," Camille said, "Magnus and I tell each other everything. We're best friends, after all."

"I know. It makes sense when I think about it." Alec avoided eye contact with Camille and looked down at his plate. "So now it's two people who've figured out that I'm gay, _and _that I like Jace. I'm sorry, Camille. This must be the worst date ever."

"You don't have to apologize. It doesn't have to be a date in our eyes." Camille pointed out, and Alec looked back up at her with a small smile. She didn't necessarily smile back; she still seemed pretty serious. "But you know what I've noticed, that Magnus hasn't noticed?"

"What?" Alec was a little afraid of her answer.

"I've started to notice that you also have feelings for Magnus." Camille said, even more serious compared to the look on her face.

Alec stared at her with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open. He did not expect her to say that, so it had caught him off guard. He had no idea how to answer, so he just stared at Camille instead. After a few more minutes, he finally got his voice back and managed to sputter out the word, "What?"

"Magnus can easily tell someone's feelings for someone else by observing them carefully. But for some reason he can never tell when someone likes _him_." Camille explained. "But I can tell."

"I don't like him." Alec said.

"You don't? Then how come you blush at almost everything he says? There's also the fact that you sometimes end up staring at him for more than a few minutes during lunch." Camille wondered. "I know Magnus can be somewhat of a charmer, and make people all flustered, but you act differently around him. You act just like you do when you're with Jace."

"But I... I'm telling you I _don't _like him. We're just friends." Alec explained. "And the reason I get flustered around him easily is because I'm not used to someone acting like that with me."

Camille pursed her lips. "You can say what you want, but I know you like him." When Alec said nothing, she went on. "But I won't tell him of course, because there's no point. Magnus isn't the kind of guy for you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, as I said to you in the past, you and Magnus are complete opposites. It just wouldn't work out." Camille explained.

"It's not like I was going to ask him out or anything. I only like him as a friend." Alec assured her.

"Well, either way, I'm just telling you not to bother." she said.

"Okay," Alec didn't know what else to say, so he went back to his food once more, eager to finish it and get out of here. Things were getting a little tense in between them. He just _knew _something was going to go wrong. He just didn't know it would be something like this. Camille was staring at him while eating her food, as if waiting for him to say something. Or maybe she was just observing his behavior.

"You know, you can still hang out with Magnus. I'm not preventing you from seeing him or anything. I'm just saying that you shouldn't fall for a guy like him." Camille said finally.

Alec looked up at her with a frown. "And what makes you say that I'll fall for him? Or that if I _do _like him, it'll never work out? What puts you in the place to know that?"

"I'm his best friend, I know exactly what kind of person he is. And I've seen him go out with girls and guys over the years. And obviously none of them worked out. He's just... a complicated guy, okay? It's hard to please him." Camille explained.

"A complicated person? I never would have guessed." Alec said slowly.

"Well, a complicated person when it comes to relationships. He's easy going with everything else." Camille said. "It's a little hard to explain."

"I'll keep that in mind, then." Alec said, although in his head, he found what Camille was saying a little hard to believe. But he supposed she could be telling the truth; she knew him for seven years, and he only knew Magnus for a few weeks. It was hard to argue on what kind of person he was with Camille.

The rest of their supper was nearly done in silence, and Alec was feeling a whole lot more awkward than he felt at the beginning of their date, or for the past few days. It was a different kind of awkward that Alec couldn't really describe, since it wasn't really something he had ever experienced.

When the two had finally finished their meal, Alec said he would pay, since it was something a guy usually did to be polite. He wasn't in the mood to act like a gentleman, but it would be pretty rude not to do it anyway. They were still on their date, after all. Camille nicely accepted his offer.

Alec and Camille both stepped outside, and it was already dark. He checked his watch and saw that it was a quarter to eight. It was still pretty early, and he didn't know if he should just bring Camille home right now or wait for about another hour. But since he wasn't in the mood to walk in an awkward silence, he was really unsure of what to do.

"So, um, did you want to walk around downtown for a bit or leave now?" he asked her after standing in front of the restaurant for a few minutes.

"Well, it's already dark. Maybe we can leave now, since there's nothing else to do." Camille suggested, and Alec was thankful she said that.

"If that's what you want to do, it's fine with me." he said casually, trying not to sound too happy about finally going home.

When Alec and Camille were in his car, the trip was done in silence. The only thing that made it less awkward was the fact that the radio was turned on and playing good music. Sometimes Camille would ask him to turn it up, or turn it down when it had gone suddenly louder than before. Alec felt as stiff as a board the whole trip back to her house.

Alec hadn't felt so relieved in his life when he drove up in her driveway, finally able to drop her off. He turned to her with an uncertain look on his face.

"Well, here we are." he said.

"Thank you for driving me, and bringing me to that restaurant." Camille thanked him. "I had fun."

"Yeah, me too. We had an interesting conversation." Alec replied.

The small smile that was on Camille's face slowly disappeared. "Yeah, you don't have to tell anyone about that. Just tell Jace and the others that it went along fine."

"You know they expect us to be dating eventually, right?" he asked.

"I figured as much." Camille sighed. "I suggest you tell them we're just friends, unless you want to lie that we _are _going out, which something bad is bound to happen if you do."

"Right," Alec nodded. "I just don't know how Jace will react to that."

Camille shrugged. "That's something for you to figure out on your own."

It was Alec's turn to sigh. He had to admit that she was right. It wasn't up to Camille to solve his problems for him, it was his up to him to straighten things out. Not that there was a problem _yet_, but when it would come to the time when he had to tell Jace and everyone else that he can Camille were just friends, and there would never be anything in between them, he was not looking forward to the reactions at all. Especially from Jace.

"Well, thanks again." Camille repeated, and opened the door to get out of his car.

"Yeah, I'll see you Monday." Alec said with a nod, and Camille gave him a small smile before closing the door and walking up the steps to her house.

Alec watched her until she unlocked her front door and entered the house, the door closing softly behind her. He found himself staring at the door for a minute, thinking about everything they had talked about during their date. After going over how Camille had acted when he asked about Magnus' parents, she seemed... different now. Like she wasn't as nice as Alec had thought she was. He let out a long sigh and let his head fall back in his seat, his eyes closed shut. Alec then started to think...

Was it odd that the he felt threatened by Camille?

* * *

When Alec got home, the first thing he wanted to do was change into his pajamas and go to bed. He had a feeling, though, that it wasn't going to happen. And Alec was completely right, because he didn't even have five minutes before his parents greeted him when he got inside the house.

"How was the date, Alexander?" Maryse asked him, his father standing right beside her.

"It went fine, thanks." Alec said, once he had taken off his shoes and jacket.

"That's good." his mother smiled a little. "Do you think you'll go out on another date with her?"

_No_. "Maybe" Alec nodded, not wanting to say what he was actually thinking in order to not be questioned.

"We should leave him be, honey." Robert said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. She looked up at him, looking a little annoyed, but she didn't protest.

For once, Alec was thankful for what his dad did. He told them he would just be in his room for the rest of the night, and he quickly made his way to his destination.

Again, Alec thought that he wouldn't be bothered for the rest of the night, so he could finally have some time to himself and think about everything that happened not too long ago. But, he was wrong yet again, because someone knocked on his door. And it was Isabelle.

"Can I come in?" she asked through the door.

"Not really," Alec replied, lying on his bed with his hands behind his head. His sister didn't seem to want to listen, because she opened the door anyway and invited herself in.

"So," she grinned, "how was the date?"

"Who invited you in?" he asked with a frown.

"I did."

Alec rolled his eyes, and then closed them shut, expecting Isabelle to just disappear. But she didn't. Of course.

"You didn't answer my question." she said.

"What question?"

"Stop acting stupid, Alec!"

Alec sat up on his bed, and looked at her with a small glare. "It went fine."

"It's hard to believe that when you're frowning while telling me." Isabelle pointed out.

"I'm frowning at _you_." Alec said. "And I'm being serious. The date went by very well. Camille and I talked about many different things. She's nice."

"Okay," Isabelle drawled on the word, looking at him expectantly. "Anything else?"

"What else do you want me to say? How many bites it took me to swallow a piece of my steak?" he snapped.

"Oh, don't be a smart ass. You know what I mean."

"I'm telling you, there's nothing else to know. I told you everything."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, and plopped on the bed beside her brother.

"Is it just me, or have you been really nosy lately?" Alec asked, looking over at his sister.

"I have not." she protested. "If anything, I'm asking for both me and Max."

"Sure, because a twelve year old boy cares about how his seventeen year old brother spent his evening." Alec said sarcastically.

"Well..." Isabelle trailed off, and let out a loud sigh. She punched her brother in the arm. "Maybe your sixteen year old sister cares, okay?"

Alec looked at her with a blank face. He stared at her for a minute, not saying anything at all. He didn't really think that Isabelle cared about everything he did, or that she showed concern about things that could have happened to him.

"Izzy, I appreciate that you care, but you have to stop asking me every time I do something and you're not there to see it." Alec explained. "If anything's bothering me, and I feel like I should tell you, I will."

"I know you would, but it's just, a few weeks ago, you never would have thought of going to the mall with a friend, or go on a date with a _girl_. Hell, I never would've thought you would go on an actual date." Isabelle said. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're sort of changing, and I'm just wondering why that is."

Now that Alec finally understood, he smiled at his sister. "I might be changing a bit, but that doesn't mean I'm not the same older brother you always had, Iz."

"I know," Isabelle smiled this time, and she then rested her head on his shoulder, yawning quietly.

"So, you understand what I'm trying to say, right?" he asked, placing his arm behind his sister.

"Yes," she said. "But I have one question."

"What?"

"Even though you said you enjoyed your date with Camille, you still just love Magnus, right?" she asked, and Alec looked down at her with another glare.

"Izzy," he growled.

"I know, you don't like him! I'm just kidding!" Isabelle laughed a little. "You still have this whole thing with Jace, I get it."

Alec relaxed once more and chuckled himself, shaking his head. "You're weird."

"It runs in the family, bro."

The two siblings stayed like that for what seemed to be hours in Alec's mind. It could have only been a half hour, or maybe even fifteen minutes, but Alec knew for sure that he didn't mind staying like this if he had to. He and Isabelle hadn't had a moment like this in a long time. It was so long ago, Alec had a hard time remembering if they even _had _a moment like this.

However, Alec knew that tomorrow, he would get texts and phone calls asking him how the date went. And Alec had to lie that it went along perfectly to all of his friends, just like he did now with Isabelle. He didn't feel bad for lying to her, though, because it wasn't really her business. Besides, what he and Camille talked about was something Alec was still trying to figure out. If he told his sister, she would have this whole speech with him all night, and he didn't want that. He didn't want to talk about Camille for the rest of the night.

But as he sat there with his sister leaning on him, each of them not saying a word, he was yet again thinking of Magnus. He knew his friend would ask him about the date with Camille. He would ask even more questions since he actually knew of his sexuality. Strange thing was, he didn't mind telling Magnus about it. Alec actually wanted to share what they talked about with him, since they _were _talking about Magnus after all. Besides, Alec had a few questions to ask him, and he knew it would bother him all night no matter what he did.

So he decided that first thing he would do tomorrow—after all those texts and phone calls—was ask Magnus all the questions he was dying to know.

**And there you have it! The seventh chapter! I know, I know, most of the chapter centered around the date between Alec and Camille, but the conversation they had about Magnus is pretty important for the next chapter. I promise. But anyway, as I said before, I'll be very busy for the next few days because I not only have school stuff to take up my time, but my birthday is coming up this Sunday (the 28th), and I'll be busy with family and friends for most of the weekend! ;) So yeah, that's a pretty good excuse, right? Anyway, please let me know what you all thought of this chapter, so reviews would be really appreciated! Bye! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**I realized right after I posted my last chapter that I gave Camille's mom the same name that Jace's real mom has (Celine). Not that it matters that much, but it was something funny that I noticed. That's why Alec mentions that somewhere in the chapter... :P But anyway, I know this is a later update than usual, but I'm pretty sure I said before that it would take me a little longer to post this chapter. And with that, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, and who's still following this story. You guys are awesome! :D Now you can enjoy this chapter, so I hope you like it! :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. At least, not yet.**

Chapter Eight

When Alec woke up, he was greeted by the constant buzzing of his cellphone. At first he thought someone was calling him, but when Alec stretched his arm out towards his nightstand, grabbing his phone, he saw that he was just getting texts. Putting the phone back in its place, Alec buried his face in his pillow, letting out a small sigh. The questioning was starting earlier than he anticipated.

Alec lay in his bed for a few minutes, not wanting to get up and face the reality of things. Of having to tell Jace that the date didn't go as perfectly as he wanted it to. That he and Camille were not going to date. They were just friends. If anything, things were even more awkward in between them. At least, that's how Alec felt.

Very slowly, Alec finally got out of bed, his hair a mess and his eyes cloudy with sleep. He was wearing his boxers and a t-shirt, which was what he usually wore when sleeping. Alec decided to leave his cellphone where it was and not answer his texts. He wanted to at least have breakfast first.

To his relief, Alec saw that his parents were absent at the kitchen table. He figured they were gone working already. Both Isabelle and Max were eating their breakfast together, but neither of them were really talking to each other. Isabelle was texting while Max was just staring at nothing in particular.

"Who are you texting?" Alec asked, seating himself in between his siblings, and looking down at his delicious breakfast.

"Simon," Isabelle answered, not looking up from her cellphone. Usually she would say it was none of his business, but after their little discussion last night, she seemed to feel to need to at least tell her brother what _she _was doing.

"About what?" Alec thought it would be amusing to pester his sister for once. Max seemed to have snapped back into reality, because he was looking at his siblings intently.

"Random stuff." Isabelle replied. "Nothing in particular, really."

"What kind of random stuff? Come on, Izzy, tell me." Alec tried to mimic his sister without smiling. At that, she looked up from her phone and glared at her brother.

"Stop making fun of me." she snapped.

"What are you guys talking about?" Max asked curiously, clearly having no clue what was going on.

"Nothing," Isabelle said quickly, before Alec could say anything. Max only frowned in response and went back to his food.

Alec glanced at his sister with an unappreciative glance, hoping she would get the message that they shouldn't leave Max out of everything. He wasn't that younger than them. Isabelle only shook her head, dismissing it. Alec let out a small sigh and decided to let it go.

After breakfast, Alec took a shower and changed into some of the new clothes he had bought with Magnus. He wanted to get used to wearing skinny jeans and colorful shirts. Finally, he decided to read all of his texts. Sebastian had asked him how hot Camille had looked on a scale of one to ten. Jordan had asked him if there was a make-out session somewhere during the date. Even Simon was being silly and asked if he would 'do' her. Alec answered all of their texts commenting that they were all being idiotic.

Jace was being a little more serious with the whole thing, because he actually asked Alec how the date went without any inappropriate comments. When Alec replied to his text, Jace quickly responded in less than a minute.

_So, would you go on another date with her?_

Alec sighed. _I don't know. I mean, she was nice and all. We had a good time, but I haven't thought about going on another date with her yet._

_Okay. But you'll think about it, right?_

_Of course. _But Alec knew there was no doubt that he wouldn't go on another date with her again.

_I see, I see. Well you think about it, because it took me a while to find someone for you! :P _

Alec suddenly felt very bad. He didn't want to let Jace know, though. _Haha, yeah :)_

_So... are you gonna tell me the details? _

_How about I tell you at school tomorrow, where I can explain it better. Besides, I want to see your reaction :P_

_Fine. Makes sense. But make sure to tell me all about it tomorrow, though! ;) _

_I won't forget. No worries Jace._

_Alright. Thanks bro. I'm happy for you! :D_

_Thanks. Oh hey, want to know something funny? _Alec wanted to change the subject.

_What?_

_Camille's mom has the same name as your mom. Weird, huh? _

_Haha, really? Well, it does make sense. Camille has a french name, so her family must be french too. Her mom wouldn't happen to be a lawyer like mine, though? :P_

_I don't know what Camille's parents do. I didn't ask. Not exactly sure why._

_You should ask her on your next date! Haha, just kidding :P_

_I should ask her tomorrow at school. You've made me all curious now!_

_You do that ;) Alright well, gotta go. I'm going over to Clary's._

_Have fun! _Alec let out a sigh of relief. Thanks to Clary, their conversation was cut short, and now he could avoid telling him anything else about Camille.

_Thanks. See ya tomorrow!_

Alec plopped on his bed, staring at the ceiling and letting his phone slip out of his hand. He let out another loud sigh—this time it was one of frustration—and said aloud, "I am so screwed."

* * *

The rest of the morning was pretty boring for Alec. He had nothing to do, and both of his siblings were busy, in their rooms and not wanting to be disturbed. Max was playing video games, and Isabelle was texting Simon. Her laughter could be heard from Alec's own room, and Alec had to admit that he was a little curious on what they were talking about.

Magnus had texted him a bit after he had finished his conversation with Jace, of course asking him how the date went. Magnus also apologized that he couldn't ask him sooner, since he had just woken up. Alec supposed Magnus was not a morning person. It wasn't that surprising.

Alec answered that it went fine, just like with everyone else, but he couldn't bring himself to ask all the questions he had in his head. He had to ask him in person. So Alec asked Magnus if he could call him instead, and his friend obviously accepted. He seemed to be curious about why he had to tell him something over the phone and not through text. And as soon as Alec dialed Magnus' number on his cellphone, he picked up after the first ring.

"What's up, darling?" he asked in a delighted tone.

"I hope I'm not being too annoying." Alec didn't how else to start the conversation.

"Nonsense." Magnus said, as if the idea wasn't even possible. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I have a few questions... it's about Camille."

"So the date wasn't as fine as you said it was, huh?" Magnus sounded more serious now.

"What makes you think it's something bad?" Alec asked.

"Quite frankly, Camille isn't always the most pleasant person." Magnus explained. "So I'm going with a wild guess and saying that something bad happened. Right?"

For some reason, Alec found it pretty amusing that Magnus was calling Camille an unpleasant person. It gave him a feeling of satisfaction, although he wasn't exactly sure why. He didn't feel as if he were in the best terms with Camille anymore, so maybe having someone say something bad about her reassured Alec. It was a little shallow, when he thought about it.

"Well, sort of. I just... I'm a little confused. Uncertain about some things." he said slowly.

"What kind of things?"

"Well, um..." Alec was having a hard time finding his voice again. He felt awkward talking to Magnus about his best friend.

"Tell you what, sweetheart." Magnus interrupted. "How about we hang out today? You can tell me about your date, ask me some questions to clear things up, whatever you need." There was a small pause. "Besides, don't we have a science test this week?"

"Tuesday. Why? You want to study with me?" Alec sounded a little surprised by the offer.

"Yeah, why not? That way, we'll be ready for the test _and _all your questions will be answered."

"Well, I guess that sounds like a good idea."

"Great!" Magnus sounded pretty happy. "Now, I would offer to go to my house, but since we're having a few renovations, it'll have to be at yours. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind." Alec said. If his parents were home, that would be a different story. He didn't want to have to introduce Magnus to his parents and go through a lengthy conversation with them. Alec didn't have the patience at all today. "You can come to my house."

"I'm surprised you said yes. Your parents must not be home." Magnus said, laughing lightly. Alec's cheeks flushed, feeling embarrassed that Magnus could pretty much read his mind.

"Right," Alec said with a cough. "So when did you want to come over?"

"What time is it?" Magnus asked, and it sounded as if he were moving around in his bed. Alec almost forgot that his friend had woken up not too long ago.

"Um..." Alec checked his watch, "it's almost noon. Did you want to come after lunch?"

"Sure," Magnus let out a small yawn. "I'll text you when I'm ready to go."

"Sounds good."

"See you soon, darling."

"Bye." Alec said, hanging up afterward. He put his cellphone on his nightstand and stared at it for a few minutes, going over his conversation with Magnus. So, Magnus would come over at his house after lunch, they wound study and talk about the date at the same time, and Alec would finally get to ask Magnus the questions he was dying to know.

This time, Alec had to stop chickening out and just ask Magnus the questions. This was his last chance to know before they went to school again tomorrow. Alec didn't want to ask Magnus those kinds of questions when he knew his other friends could overhear their conversation. This one was very personal—he didn't want any of them to know about it, because it would show Alec's sexuality, and possibly other stuff. He didn't want to take any chances.

For the millionth time that day, Alec let out a loud sigh and lay on his bed, staring up at the white and blank ceiling above him. The house was so quiet that Alec could faintly hear Max yelling at his video game, and Isabelle laughing every now and then. Everything was so much more simple for them. They didn't have to worry about slipping any secrets, because Max didn't have any to hide, and Isabelle didn't care about secrets. She was good at hiding them, and she was good at making up excuses. Alec sometimes wished he was like his sister or Jace or Magnus. The three were all easy-going and sociable. But that wasn't Alec at all. He was the complete opposite.

If Alec were like them, he probably wouldn't even be in this mess right now.

* * *

While Alec and his siblings were having lunch, it was pretty quiet. Max and Isabelle didn't seem to have anything to say. Max looked eager to go back to his room and play video games—it took a bit of insisting for Alec to get his brother to come out of his room and join them at the kitchen table to eat lunch. Isabelle was easier to convince, although she had an annoyed look on her face when she had opened the door. Apparently she couldn't take a small break of talking to Simon.

Almost right after they had finished lunch, the doorbell rang. Alec guessed it was Magnus, since it was after lunch, and he had texted him not too long ago. He just didn't know he would be here this early. Alec always imagined his sparkly friend to take his time when he did things. Maybe he was just too excited to hang out with Alec that he rushed himself.

"I'll get it!" Max exclaimed, bouncing off his chair and running to the front entrance before Alec could say anything.

"I wonder who that could be?" Isabelle asked her older brother, staring at him curiously.

"I don't know." Alec shrugged, not wanting his sister to cause a big deal that Magnus was coming over.

"Alec! Magnus is here to see you!" Max called from the front entrance not too shortly after. Isabelle shot her brother a surprised look.

"You didn't tell me Magnus was coming over." she said.

"I guess I just didn't find the time." Alec said lamely, and his small smile gave it away.

"You're such a terrible liar." Isabelle rolled her eyes. "And an ass."

"Ouch," Alec said sarcastically before heading over to the front entrance to go see Magnus and Max. Isabelle, of course, followed right behind him.

"Hey there, Alec." Magnus greeted once he arrive at the front entrance. He was still standing outside, because Max had his hand on the doorknob, frozen in place. Alec looked over and saw that his little brother had a fascinated look on his face. He looked back at Magnus and could see why.

Magnus was wearing tight black leather pants and a belt with a bejeweled M right in the center. He was also wearing a black leather jacket over a flashy purple v-neck t-shirt. Bits of his hair was dyed purple and covered in glitter, and it was clear that he was wearing a bit of eye liner too. He looked pretty sparkly, to say the least.

"Hey," Alec said, and placed a hand on Max's shoulder. "Max, why haven't you let Magnus inside yet?"

"Sorry," Max still seemed to be out of it as he stepped out of the way and stood beside Isabelle, who was standing not too far away.

"Please, come in." Alec said, stepping out of the way to let his friend inside.

"Wow, nice house." Magnus commented as Alec closed the door behind him. "Looks even better on the inside."

"Thanks," he said, and stood in the front entrance awkwardly, unsure of what to do next.

"Hey, you're wearing some of the clothes we picked out on Friday." Magnus pointed over at Alec, a wide smile on his face. He seemed to be very pleased.

"Oh, yeah." Alec looked down at himself in an embarrassing gesture. "I just want to get used to wearing these kinds of clothes."

"I see," Magnus chucked a little as he slipped off his shoes. Alec noticed that his school bag was slung over his shoulders. He never knew it was there, since the rest of his outfit was sort of getting the attention away from it. Magnus then glanced at Isabelle and Max. "Hey, you two."

"Hey Magnus." Isabelle smiled, while Max just waved. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good." he answered, and Magnus asked Isabelle and Max how they were doing too. They started a small conversation, and Alec gave his sister a small glare, indicating that they should stop talking. She just rolled her eyes at him.

"Alright, well, we should go in my room. We have some studying to do." Alec cut in before Isabelle could add anything else. His sister could always find something to talk about, which could be pretty annoying at times.

"Oh, so that's why Magnus came over?" Isabelle said. "I thought he was just here to hang out."

"No," Alec said slowly, his glare not leaving his face.

"Would you mind showing me where your room is then, Alec?" Magnus asked to break the awkward tension between the two siblings. Max looked like he was feeling just as awkward, too.

"Sure," Alec replied, still looking at his sister. "See you guys later."

"Uh-huh," Isabelle had a small smile creeping up on her face, and Alec stuck his tongue out at her before heading over to his room, Magnus right behind him.

As soon as Alec opened the door to his room, Magnus let out an impressed whistle.

"Nice room," he said, and started to look around Alec's room, dropping his bag at the foot of the bed.

"Thanks," Alec said, scratching the back of his head and heading over to his own school books, which were all placed on his desk. "You seem to like my house a lot."

"Well, I will admit it's pretty nice." Magnus then sat on the bed, and Alec grabbed his desk chair, bringing it over beside the bed so he could sit face to face with his friend.

"So, did you want to start studying now, or do we talk about Saturday?" Alec asked, hoping the answer would be the former.

"I don't think we need to study too much. We already understand everything, don't we?" Magnus replied, smiling. "Didn't you say a while back that science was one of your best and favorite subjects?"

"Yeah, but... we still need to study. Do _you _understand everything?"

"Of course I do! Science is one of my best subjects too, if you didn't remember."

"Okay," Alec nodded, remembering that unlike Sebastian and Jordan, Magnus was actually _good _at science.

"So that means, if we both study together, it shouldn't really take that long." Magnus explained. "Besides, I kind of wanted to make an excuse just so we could hang out and talk. I don't really care about the science test as much."

"Really?" Alec said, not sounding at all surprised. To be honest himself, Alec wasn't going to bother studying much either. He never really had to when it came to science.

"Yeah, so let's just start studying and get that over with. Then, we move on to the good part." Magnus said with a wink. Alec rolled his eyes, and looked away to hide the small blush creeping up on his face.

"Alright," Alec said, opening up one of his text books and looking down at it with a bored expression. He really wasn't in the mood to study _or _talk about the date with Camille right now. But he knew he had to do both of those things. He didn't really have much of a choice unless he wanted to stress out for the next few days.

And he didn't want that to happen.

* * *

As expected, it didn't take long for Alec and Magnus to study. All they really did was read through their notes, ask questions about things they were uncertain about, and quiz each other afterward. Alec had to admit that it wasn't as bad as he thought it was. Studying with Magnus was so much better than studying with Sebastian or Jordan. The two of them weren't that great in that subject, but with Magnus it actually helped him. Not to mention he made it a little more fun by cracking jokes and being silly.

"I don't know about you, but I'm tired of chemistry." Magnus sighed, laying down on Alec's bed, his head resting on the pillow. "As much as I think it's easy, it can get pretty boring."

"I know," Alec sighed, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his palms. "But at least now we know everything."

"Well, I for one, think we make a pretty good pair." Magnus said, placing his hands behind his head. "Don't you think?"

"Uh, yeah." Alec nodded. "We should study together more often, then."

"I'm glad you think so, sweetheart." Magnus smiled widely. "But for now, we should move on to the other subject at hand."

"Right," Alec said slowly, looking everywhere but at his friend. "Don't you want to go get a snack first, though?"

"Stop avoiding the subject, Alec." Magnus said, although he sounded a little amused. "I'm not even that hungry anyway."

"I'm not avoiding the subject..."

"Go ahead and ask me a question. Something simple." Magnus said, leaning back even more and closing his eyes.

"Okay," Alec took a minute to think of a question he wanted to ask. "Is it true that you and Camille both figured out I was gay the first time you met me? I mean, was I that obvious?"

"So you talked about that, huh?" Magnus said with a chuckle, his whole body shaking. He opened his eyes and raised his head. "Well, to tell you the truth, I noticed it first. I just told Camille about it, and she agreed. She didn't talk to you enough to even notice that."

"That's what I thought." Alec mumbled. "So I'm guessing you tell each other everything?"

"Almost everything." Magnus smiled mischievously. "I don't tell her _everything_."

"What _don't_ you tell her?"

"Now, if I didn't tell my best friend, do you honestly think I'll tell you, someone I've only known for a few weeks?" Magnus asked.

"I tried." Alec shrugged.

"What else do you have to ask me, darling?"

"Right," Alec said slowly. "Camille mentioned that you were a complicated person when it came to relationships. Is that true?"

"Oh, well that's something a little hard to explain." Magnus said, sitting back up. "Camille _thinks _I'm complicated when it comes to relationships because I've been in many relationships."

"So... how many people have you dated then?" Alec asked slowly. Magnus seemed to be pondering the question, because he took on a questioning look.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I can't really recall everyone I've dated. A lot of them were just... not really serious, I guess."

"Kind of like my sister." Alec mumbled.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," Alec said quickly. "Tell me, have you dated guys and girls?"

"Of course I have." Magnus answered as if it wasn't anymore obvious. "Don't you know what bisexual means?"

Alec scowled. "I know what it _means_. I was just curious, that's all. Maybe you dated more girls than guys or something."

"Well, I think I prefer dating guys, to be honest." Magnus smiled widely. "Girls cause too much drama."

"Yeah," Alec agreed. "Girls can be... complicated." Right after he said that, Alec was thinking of Camille.

"Any more questions? Or is that it?" Magnus asked, stretching his arms high above his head as he lay back down on the bed, which caused his shirt to ride up a bit, exposing his flat stomach all the way to his belly button. Alec's face flushed at the sight, and he quickly looked away.

"Yeah, a few more." he said, thinking that now that he was more comfortable asking questions to Magnus, there wouldn't be a problem asking him the last few questions he was most interesting in knowing the answer to. But after seeing _that_, it was distracting Alec a bit.

"Shoot," his friend said, and didn't make any signs of pulling his shirt back down. He had that permanent smile on his face, though.

"Alright, well, Camille and I sort of talked about when your parents died." Alec decided to be blunt about it and went right to the subject at hand. "She said there was nothing else to know about, or what happened after. But she seemed really touchy and on edge when she was talking about it. I was just wondering if maybe... there was something else?"

There was a long pause as Magnus stared up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head. He seemed to be deep in thought about something, as if he was going through the events of when his parents died, or if he was trying not to get upset on that subject. But it was obvious that it didn't bother him anymore; Magnus did tell Alec without looking upset back at the mall. He just had a sad look in his eyes when he had said it. Alec couldn't see the look in his eyes from where he was standing, though.

"Well... that depends, really. A lot of things happened after my parents died." Magnus finally said.

"I would understand that." Alec nodded. "But would there be anything that Camille didn't want me to know? Or something that upset her?"

"Mm, both, actually."

"Really? What happened, then?"

Magnus ran a hand over his face and through his black spiked hair, letting out a small sigh. He looked over at Alec, still lying on the bed, but his eyes staring right at him.

"Camille and I used to go out."

Alec stared at Magnus for a moment, his eyes growing wide and his mouth hanging open in dismay. As Alec went through the date with Camille and recalled her reactions to certain comments, he couldn't believe he didn't realize it sooner. It made perfect sense as he pieced it all together.

"It makes sense now..." he mumbled.

"What? Why?" Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Like I said, Camille seemed touchy about the subject. She seemed almost... protective about you or something." Alec explained, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair.

"She is the jealous type, after all." Magnus smiled a little, shaking his head. "Ever since we broke up, she's been like that. Over protective and getting into my business every time I made a new friend."

"Really? How did you two break up? Or even go out for that matter." Alec asked, placing his hands on his knees and leaning forward a little.

Magnus sat back up, fixing his shirt and letting out a small sigh. He crossed his legs and leaned forward in the same way Alec did.

"Look, Camille was always there for me after my parents died. As time went on, I accepted the fact that they were dead and decided to focus on the people who loved me that were still alive. At that point, I started having feelings for Camille, and it had been obvious that she did too. So that's how we started going out." he explained, looking at Alec right in the eyes. Alec couldn't help but stare right back at him with full interest.

"So how long did you two go out, then?" he asked slowly.

"We went out for quite a while, actually. Two years. She was my longest relationship up to date." Magnus answered, a small smile on his face. "We broke up because of differences."

"What kind of differences?"

"Well," Magnus sighed again, as if trying to recall the exact reason why they broke up. "Camille started thinking that I only agreed to go out with her so I could get over my parents. Which was partly true, but I also liked her. The reason why she thought that was because every time we went to parties or hung out with a group of friends, I was always talking to other guys and girls, being very social. She thought that she didn't need me anymore now that I was clearly over my parents for good. I kept trying to tell her that she was wrong, but she wouldn't listen to reason. So I broke up with her."

"So _you _broke up with _her_?" Alec asked, and in his mind he thought it made sense. He always saw Magnus to be the one to break up with people. "And you guys were still friends after that?"

"Yeah, we were still best friends afterward. We both agreed that we shouldn't let our whole disagreement get in the way of our friendship." Magnus nodded. "But I guess since then she's believed that I'm complicated when it comes to relationships."

"So that's why..." Alec said, finally understanding everything.

"Yup," Magnus leaned back, and smiled at his friend. "Any more questions?"

Alec wondered for a moment if he should tell him that Camille believed that he liked Magnus. It wasn't true, but it could be something to bring up. Not that Alec would gain much from telling him. Just the embarrassment, probably.

"No, that's all." he replied, shaking his head and thinking it would be best if he didn't mention it.

"Alright," Magnus nodded. He got up from the bed and stretched up on his tiptoes with his arms high up above his head. Alec looked over at the clock on his bedside table, seeing that it was nearly four o'clock.

"When were you planning on leaving?" Alec asked, glancing over at his friend. Magnus stopped stretching and glanced over at him with a mischievous smile, his eyes twinkling.

"Want me to leave so soon, sweetheart?" he asked teasingly.

"No," Alec shook his head quickly, his face heating up a bit. "I was just wondering if there was a specific time you had to leave."

"When are your parents coming back?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Some time before supper, usually." Alec replied, shrugging his shoulders.

It was Magnus' turn to glance over at the clock. "I guess I should be home before supper." he said.

"Okay," Alec said simply.

And with that Magnus put his things back in his bag and slung it over his shoulders. He looked at Alec, as if waiting for him to do something. Alec slowly got up and headed to the door, opening it and looking back at Magnus, motioning for him to exit first.

"Thanks," Magnus nodded, a small smile on his face as he passed by Alec and out of his room. Alec followed right behind him and left his bedroom door open.

As the two walked passed the living room, Alec spotted Isabelle and Max sitting on the couch, watching the television. It was on some cartoon, and Alec was wondering why Isabelle was watching it too, since Max was the only one in the house who really watched those kinds of shows.

"Hey, did you two do all of your homework?" Alec asked them, stopping behind the couch and looking over at his brother and sister.

"Didn't have any," Max replied, stuffing some chips in his mouth.

"Yeah," Isabelle nodded, and Alec realized she was texting on her cellphone, barely paying attention to what was playing on the television. "Thanks for your concern, _mom_."

"Shut up," Alec said irritably, rolling his eyes and glancing over at Magnus, who chuckled.

"I think it's nice how you have an older brother watching over you guys." he said, walking over beside Alec, and propping his elbows on the couch.

Isabelle turned around to face Magnus. "Yeah, but he asks me almost every night. It gets annoying."

"For the record, I only ask you on the weekend." Alec interjected.

"Whatever," Isabelle frowned, turning back to the TV. "It's still annoying."

"What about you Max? Think Alec is annoying when he asks about your homework?" Magnus asked, looking over at the younger sibling, who was really into the show. He snapped back to reality and glanced at the sparkly student.

"No, I don't really mind. As long as I can watch my cartoons." he replied, stuffing another chip in his mouth. When he finished chewing and swallowed it, he said, "Hey, Magnus?"

"What is it?"

"Do you like cartoons?"

"Sure I do." Magnus nodded. "I used to watch them all the time when I was younger."

"Why don't you watch them anymore?"

"High school. They steal away most of your social life." Magnus shrugged.

"Oh," Max took on a worried look. "So does that mean I won't be able to watch cartoons anymore next year? Or do anything else?"

"No, you should be fine. You look really smart." Magnus smiled, ruffling Max's dark hair. The younger boy ducked out of the way and smile shyly.

After a few more minutes, Alec and Magnus both went over to the front entrance. Magnus put on his shoes while Alec stood there waiting for Magnus to be ready.

"Well, thanks for studying with me. And answering my questions." Alec said once Magnus was done and looking at his friend.

"No problem," Magnus smiled, and gave a small wink. "I'm always up for studying, or talking."

"Great, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Sure thing." Magnus nodded. "Bye, guys!" he called out to Alec's siblings.

"Bye!" they both said in unison.

"I think they like me. Don't you think?" Magnus asked, his smile widening.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Goodbye, Magnus." he said, opening the door for his friend.

Once Magnus finally left in his car, Alec let out a small sigh and plopped himself on the couch beside his sister. He was tired after the past three days. Friday he spent the whole evening shopping with Magnus, Saturday night he had his date with Camille, and today he studied for the science test due on Tuesday and cleared up a few things with Magnus. Now everything had caught up to him in one blow, and he was exhausted. He just wanted to sleep and sleep for hours on end.

So Alec was glad that he managed to doze off while watching cartoons.

* * *

Alec didn't tell his parents that Magnus came over for most of the afternoon. They were too caught up with their work even when they got home. Robert was talking on his cellphone with a customer, while Maryse was making supper and looking through papers when she wasn't cooking. It was a good thing Isabelle or Max didn't say anything either.

Since Alec had already studied for the science test, and he already finished his homework, he literally had nothing to do. After he woke up from his small nap, his parents were already home and Isabelle and Max were no longer on the couch. He had wondered how long he had slept, or why he woke up lying down. From what he remembered, he was sitting.

A few minutes after waking up, Alec decided to go back to his room and put away all of his books and binders in his school bag, so it would be ready for tomorrow morning. After that, Alec stood in his room, looking around to find something to do. When he saw that there was absolutely nothing, he slouched his shoulders and got out of his room.

There was the possibility to text Jace again, but he could still be at Clary's house, or busy doing something else. He could text Sebastian or Jordan, but they would probably ask him more questions about the date and make more stupid jokes. Then there was Simon, but he was probably texting Isabelle instead, and didn't want to talk to him. Alec could never find much to talk about with Simon, anyway.

Alec ended up doing nothing for the rest of the day. Which wasn't too bad, considering all he had left to do was eat supper, take a shower and go to sleep. Most of the time he would watch TV in between.

A bit after he took his shower, his hair still a little damp, Alec made his way back to his room. He still felt pretty tired despite the nap he took right before supper, and he felt absolutely comfortable when he lay down on his bed. As Alec took off his watch to put it on the bedside table, he saw that it was only nine thirty o'clock. He didn't mind going to bed a bit earlier than he usually did. He just hoped he wouldn't wake up at four in the morning or something.

Alec slowly got under the covers, resting his head on the pillow and closing his eyes. When he took a deep breath, he could immediately smell Magnus' scent all over his pillow. It smelled like sandalwood. Alec thought it smelled good; a natural scent that Alec found soothing and calming.

Alec's face flushed when he realized that all that was going through his mind was Magnus. That all it took for him to think about his friend was the scent of him on his pillow. His whole bed probably smelled like sandalwood since Magnus had laid on his bed the whole time they were studying and talking. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to smell it, but for some reason he didn't mind. He didn't mind having a trace of Magnus while thinking about him.

That made Alec a little worried. What _did _he think about Magnus? Was he a good or close friend? Was he someone he could picture going out with? Someone he could possibly spend the rest of his life with? All those questions were swirling through his mind, and all Alec could figure out was that he was slowly getting attached to Magnus.

**Not much to say on this chapter. Most of it was a filler, which I apologize for. But at least a few questions were answered. And there was a bit of Malec too, so that makes it okay, right? ;) Haha, anyway, I'm not really sure when I'll be updating again. Hopefully it'll only take me a week to update this time. But I'm not making any promises. School is still making me very busy, so I can't really give an approximate due date for the update. Just keep in mind that I'll work on the next chapter as fast as I can! And your reviews keep me motivated to keep writing, so please review! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am so deeply sorry for the delay. Even though I always have good excuses for the slow down, I still feel bad. But basically, school hasn't been getting better concerning homework, projects, essays and tests. November was a tough month, I have to say. I've also been pretty busy outside of school, too. Most of them were family things, and took up my whole weekend. It also didn't help that I got a small writer's block halfway through this chapter... But hey, at least I'm finally updating now! So please enjoy this chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. If I did Magnus would be mine!**

Chapter Nine

As soon as Alec stepped into his car to go to school the next day, he knew he was screwed. No, the moment he had woken up, he knew that today wasn't going to be easy for him. He had to tell Jace that he and Camille were just going to be friends, and nothing more. He knew that he told him he would think about going on another date with her, but that was just to get out of the conversation.

Last night, he hadn't thought about telling Jace the truth at all. For once, he had thought everything was going to be okay. But once he realized what he had to face, all those feelings disappeared in a heartbeat. And he knew exactly why he wasn't stressing about it last night. The only thing that had gone through his mind before he fell asleep was Magnus, and Magnus only.

As he thought about it on the way to school, his face started to flush just like it did before going to bed yesterday. He didn't want Isabelle or Max to notice, or else he would be asked a bunch of questions on what he was thinking about. But Alec knew that Isabelle would guess that he was thinking about Magnus right away. And for once, she was right.

When Alec parked in the school's parking lot, letting his siblings out of the car, he had to take a moment to calm himself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, telling himself that the day was going to be fine. That everything was going to be just fine. That things would all work out in the end. And that—

Alec suddenly heard a loud knocking at his car window, which nearly made him jump out of his skin. His eyes flew open and he almost hit the roof of the car. Alec quickly turned his head to the source of the noise and saw Jace's smiling face taking up the middle of the window. He was laughing and saying something that Alec couldn't hear.

"What the hell, Jace?" Alec yelled at him through the window.

"What are you doing in there? Praying?" Jace laughed, his voice muffled.

_Maybe..._ "You scared me to death!" Alec exclaimed, unbuckling his seat belt and opening the door to his car. Jace stepped out of the way to let his friend out, and he was still laughing a little.

"Sorry, bro. But Izzy told me you were still sitting in the car, so I decided to scare you." he apologized, patting his back.

Alec looked over at his sister and brother, who were standing with Clary near Jace's car. He frowned at Isabelle, who gave him an innocent smile and waved at him. He really felt like flipping the bird at her, but he only shook his head instead.

"So it was Isabelle's idea, wasn't it?" he asked his best friend, looking unimpressed.

"No, it was all my idea." Jace grinned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Alec rolled his eyes, expecting it to be his friend and not his sister to have come up with that silly idea. He then reached into his car and took out his bag, putting both straps over his shoulders and closing the car door. Alec made sure the car was locked before turning back to Jace, who was waiting impatiently beside him.

"Whoa, Alec. What are you wearing?" Jace asked suddenly, pointing a finger at him.

Alec looked down at himself. "Oh, just some new clothes I got." he replied, feeling all embarrassed. He was wearing dark jeans with a dark blue long-sleeved shirt that was more fitted to his body than most shirts he wore.

"Huh," Jace stepped back a bit to admire his friend. "Looks nice on you." he said, nodding his head in approval.

"Thanks," Alec smiled a little, and he and Jace both made their way to Clary and his siblings. As soon as Alec got closer to them, Clary seemed to have noticed his new outfit, and complimented him on it. He said a small thank you in return. Alec didn't think that anyone would say anything about his clothes, but he seemed to have thought wrong.

As the five friends made their way to the school building, a thought suddenly crossed Alec's mind. He glanced over at Clary, who was talking to Jace with a wide smile on her face. He didn't want to ruin her mood, but he just had to ask before he forgot.

"Hey, Clary," he started, and said person stopped her conversation with Jace and looked over at Alec curiously.

"What is it?"

"Does your brother have a... girlfriend?" Alec asked reluctantly, waiting for Clary's smile to disappear from her face. And he was right, because it vanished as soon as he mentioned her brother.

"Uh... yeah, he does." Clary said even more slowly. "Her name is Natasha. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. I just saw him hanging out with a girl on Friday." Alec said casually, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, he went on a date with her on Friday." Clary eyed him suspiciously. "He said they went to the mall. Were you there, then?"

Alec wanted so badly to slap himself repeatedly across the face right now, but he had to hold himself back as he stared at Clary with a serious and unreadable face. There was no way around it anymore. He couldn't _lie_. He had to tell the truth.

"Yeah, I was."

"Why?" Jace asked suddenly, looking at Alec confusingly. "You never go to the mall."

Alec glanced over at Isabelle and Max, who were keeping their mouths shut the whole time. They both met eyes with him and both had the same wide eyes on their faces. Alec took a small breath and glanced back at Jace.

"Usually, I don't. But I went to the mall to get new clothes for my date with Camille the next day." he explained, but knew that his answer wasn't going to be satisfying enough for Jace.

"Okay," Jace nodded slowly. "But... it doesn't make sense. How did you buy all the clothes by yourself? You don't really care about what you wear."

Alec looked away from Jace and Clary, who were staring at him intently. "Magnus went with me."

"Magnus?" Jace said in bewilderment. Clary didn't look as surprised; she seemed to have expected it somehow.

"When you think about it, it makes sense." Clary put in. "Magnus is great with fashion and stuff. He probably just wanted to help Alec out for his date. And also... change his wardrobe."

"He didn't change it, necessarily. He just helped me buy a few more things. He said my taste was too bland." Alec explained.

"That _is _true." Jace agreed, which caused Alec to glare at him. "Not that there was anything wrong with that." he added quickly.

"So, what did he say when he saw you?" Clary asked curiously. "Jonathan, I mean."

"He didn't see us, we just saw him. We weren't necessarily side by side." Alec explained, and didn't feel that guilty about lying. It was partly true, but there was no way he would mention that he and Magnus hid in the changing room to not be spotted by Jonathan and his girlfriend, Natasha. That didn't seem necessary.

"Well, at least you didn't run into him." Jace pointed out, and Alec nodded his head in agreement.

There was another moment of silence the rest of the way to their lockers. Each of them split up to go to their respective lockers, and Alec was glad to have a moment to himself again. For a moment Alec thought Jace had forgotten about the whole date with Camille, and wanting to ask him about the details. But Alec suspected he hadn't; he would probably remind him at lunch so everyone could hear about it.

Alec let out a small sigh as he slammed his locker shut, and with his backpack slung over his shoulders, he headed to his first class.

* * *

Alec's first class was math, and as soon as he saw Simon seated at his desk, his curiosity came back to him. He remembered that he and Isabelle were talking—or texting, rather—for nearly the whole day yesterday, and he sort of wanted to know what is was they were talking about. They could have just been talking about random stuff, or maybe they had started a secret relationship. That seemed unlikely, because Isabelle never really hid stuff like that. If anything, she would announce herself every time she had a new boyfriend. Although Simon could be different—he wasn't like the other guys she dated.

"Hey, Simon," Alec greeted, taking a seat beside him.

The young man with glasses looked over at him and smiled in response. "Hey,"

"Can I ask you something?" Alec decided to get right to the subject.

"Sure," Simon said slowly, obviously a little curious and suspicious about Alec's direct behavior.

"What were you and my sister talking about yesterday? She told me you two were texting each other." Alec asked, his face serious.

Simon blinked once or twice. "What...? Why do you want to know that?"

"Isabelle has never really texted someone for so long in one day. I was just curious about what you guys might have talked about." Alec explained, having a sort of protective feeling over his little sister.

There was a small pause before Simon said, "Well, it's not really your concern or anything, but... if you really want to know, we talked about everything. School, friends, family..." he drifted off and turned his head towards the front of the class.

"I'm not trying to barge into you and my sister's personal business—because I know it really isn't my business—but sometimes I want to be informed about what's going on in between you two. You know what I mean?" Alec tried to explain exactly what he was feeling, and by the look on Simon's face, he seemed to have understood.

"Yeah, I get it." Simon nodded. "And to be honest with you, there still isn't anything going on in between Izzy and I."

"No?" Alec tried to sound surprised, but he already suspected that there was nothing going on. Simon didn't seem to have fallen for it, either.

"Look," Simon said with a small frown. "I honestly have no clue what's up between the two of us. Maybe there is something going on, maybe there isn't... I don't know." He looked a little troubled as he said so, and for a second Alec felt a little sorry for him. Not that he should, really. He was trying to go out with his sister.

"Huh," Alec said slowly. "Well, if ever there is anything going on, you'll tell me, won't you?"

Simon gave him a small smile. "Yeah,"

As soon as he said so the bell rang, starting the class. The two friends didn't talk much for the rest of the class—they were too busy taking notes and listening to the teacher. Sometimes Alec would glance over at Simon, who seemed really into the work they were doing, because he had a very serious look on his face. Or maybe he was just thinking up ways to ask out Isabelle.

After class, Alec had gym next. He wasn't particularly looking forward to it—he had to admit volleyball could be pretty fun—but there was the fact that he didn't really feel like talking to Jace right now. There was the whole Camille situation that he didn't want to handle right now, and he had no idea if Jace would mention it in class. Probably not, but it was still something Alec was worrying about.

Alec also hoped gym class would pass by very slowly, since he wasn't looking forward to lunch. But of course, time flew by extremely fast. First thing Alec knew was that they had started playing a volleyball match—Jace and Magnus were both on his team—and the next thing he knew there were five minutes left of the class, and everyone had to go get changed before the bell rang. Even if Alec tried to take his time, it wouldn't make much of a difference. But at least Jace hadn't mentioned anything about Camille during the whole class.

Alec didn't know what to expect during lunch time, and as he sat down between Jace and Magnus, and met eyes with Camille across the table, he saw that she was giving him a serious and urgent look. He looked back at her with a confused look, and Camille looked impatient as she subtly titled her head in Jace's direction, and Alec finally caught on. She wanted him to remember about what they had discussed at the end of their date on Saturday. Alec slowly nodded.

"So... Alec." Jace said slowly, glancing over at his friend. "Got something to share with us?"

Everyone was looking at Alec now, either in confusion or in interest. There was one thing that Alec really hated, and that was when all the attention was directed on him. He _hated _attention. He preferred standing off to the side and giving the spotlight to someone else. Since Alec was generally shy, it didn't help that much. His face would heat up and his heart would pound in his chest.

"Um, what do you mean?" Alec asked slowly, already feeling his face warm up.

"Dude, stop beating around the bush." Jace grinned slyly, obviously seeing through Alec's fake innocence. "Tell us all about your date with Camille."

Alec glanced over at the blond girl, who shot him an unreadable look. They started at each other for a few minutes before he said, "Well, um... as I said to you guys yesterday, it went by pretty well."

"I think," Maia said, "that they want _details_, Alec."

"Yeah," Jordan agreed with his girlfriend. "It's not like you go on dates often. This is a rare occasion."

"A rare occasion, indeed." Sebastian said, trying to sound knowledgeable. "In fact, you've never been on a date, _period_. We'd like to know what happened on your first date."

"Uh-huh," Jordan nodded his head in agreement. Everyone looked interested at this point; even Clary. Usually she was the most mature of the group—well, besides Alec—and respected people's privacy like most people should. But this time was different, Alec guessed. Him going on a date really _was _a rare occasion.

Very reluctantly, Alec started to explain what happened during the date. There wasn't much to say—they talked about random things, and then had that heated discussion about Magnus, which Alec didn't want to talk about—so it only took about a few minutes for Alec to say everything. Sometimes Camille would pitch in to add some small things, but that was it. And during that whole time, everyone was listening intently, laughing when the time was right, or nodding their heads at different times.

"Wow, sounds like you guys had fun." Maia smiled sweetly.

"Yeah," Isabelle agreed, "and you didn't want to tell me about it on the weekend?"

Alec rolled his eyes at his sister. "I didn't want to repeat the same thing more than once."

Jace grinned. "And you said the date was just _fine_. From what I gathered, it sounds as if you two got along very well."

"Of course we did." Alec replied, glancing over at Camille to see her reactions. She wasn't staring at Alec, but at everyone else, with a smile on her face. It looked pretty convincing.

"Now this question remains." Jordan said, leaning a bit across the table, staring at Alec with a wide smile on his face. "Are you two going to go on another date?"

"You said you two would think about it." Jace pointed out. "Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes, we have." Camille said, this time glancing at Alec.

Alec switched his gaze from Camille to Magnus, and his sparkly friend gave him a reassuring smile, which meant that he should go ahead and tell the truth. Oddly enough, it calmed Alec a bit. Magnus' smile let him know that everything was going to be okay, no matter how much Alec didn't believe so.

Alec then looked back at everyone else. "We decided that we should just be friends, but we'll still hang out and stuff." he said as quickly as he could, avoiding eye contact with Jace.

Surprisingly it was Simon who spoke first. "Really?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded, still not wanting to look at Jace.

"How come?" Jace asked, and his voice sounded a little distant, which made Alec's heart sink.

"Just... we think it would be better that way." Alec answered.

"We get along, but just as friends." Camille put in.

No one seemed to really mind about their decision. Isabelle and Magnus, of course, saw that coming, while Clary and Maia seemed to have understood and didn't question it. Sebastian and Jordan looked a little surprised—probably because they were the ones who kept teasing him and Camille—but their disappointed looks soon vanished. Simon looked a little worried, which Alec found a little confusing, but he didn't want to ask. But Jace, that was a little different. He truly looked disappointed, because he hung his head down, staring at his food on the table. Alec supposed he looked that way because he tried so hard to find someone for his best friend.

"Okay," Jace nodded, but the looked on his face showed that he wanted to say so much more. Alec guessed that he would talk to him in private. He wasn't really looking forward to it, though.

"Well, that's too bad." Maia said after a moment of silence. "For a moment we all thought you and Camille would have had something together. But, oh well." She then smiled warmly at Alec and Camille, which didn't make Alec feel too guilty anymore.

After lunch, Alec had English class with Jace. Alec knew that his friend would probably ask him questions about his decision with Camille, and he really wasn't looking forward to it at all. His only real reasons were going to show that he was gay, and he didn't want to do that. But Alec supposed he could explain to Jace why they wanted to be just friends without revealing anything.

At first, Jace didn't seem to want to say anything to Alec. While they were listening to the teacher, Jace seemed to be into the class and wasn't glancing at Alec at all. For a second Alec also thought his best friend was mad at him, but that didn't seem to be the case because as soon as everyone was free to start working on their own, Jace turned to him.

"Why?" he asked, which had caught Alec by surprise.

"What do you mean, why?" the confused student said.

"I mean why do you two just want to be friends? After seeing that you two got along, I don't see—"

"Look, it's just that it's awkward for us to be thinking about going out." Alec said slowly.

"Awkward?" Jace's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't get it. When you described the date, it sounded like everything went perfectly. But now you're saying you two will just be friends..."

"I know, but it just is." Alec shrugged. "Maybe it's because she's best friends with Magnus, so that me going out with her would just seem weird to me."

"I'm sure Magnus wouldn't mind. We've talked about that already, remember?" Jace said.

"It's like if you went out with Isabelle. That would be very awkward, wouldn't it?" Alec suggested, hoping it would be a good example.

"That's different." Jace pointed out. "Isabelle and I are like siblings. She's known me all her life. Sure, Magnus is considered a good friend, but we've only known him for what, a month?"

"Yeah," Alec said slowly, realizing it was a bad idea. "Oh wait, it's like if Sebastian went out with—"

"Stop giving me examples, Alec." Jace sighed. "I get it. It's awkward for you. But it still doesn't make sense to me."

"I'm sorry," Alec shrugged, not knowing what to say.

Jace shook his head. "I don't get you sometimes, Alec. For all these years, girls have asked you out, flirted with you, or just gave you small signs that they liked you. But you've always shut them down. Every single one of them. And now, you actually seemed to _like_ Camille, but it still won't work out."

"I guess I just... haven't found the right one."

"How do you know any of those girls weren't the right one? You haven't even given any of them a chance. Same thing for Camille."

"I _did _give Camille a chance."

"It was one date. That's hardly giving her a chance at all." Jace's voice was starting to rise a bit, which caused the teacher to tell them to keep it quiet. Jace apologized before looking back at his friend.

"One date can say a lot..." Alec said, thinking back at how much he figured out about her.

There was a pause from Jace. He took on a serious look, as if thinking deeply. Suddenly, his face lightened up, like he just figured something out.

"There's two possibilities here." Jace said. "Either something happened during your date—like some sort of argument or fight that you won't tell us about—or..."

"Or what?" Alec knew what Jace would say. And he didn't like it one bit.

"Or you're gay. Those are the only explanations." Jace concluded.

"I'm not gay." Alec's first instinct was to say that. "I'm telling you, I'm not. It's just not as easy for me to find a girl like it is easy for you or Jordan or even Simon."

"I understand that not everyone finds someone in high school. It's more common for someone to not find the one so early. But the reason why I might think you're gay is that you didn't show any interest in the girls that were interested in _you_. That's what makes you a little suspicious." Jace explained.

"Well, girls were never my first interest. Dating someone or finding someone was never my first interest. Is it wrong that I'm concentrating on school above everything else?" Alec said, and he knew that what he was saying was completely true, so he wasn't feeling guilty just yet.

"There's nothing wrong with that, but I find it a little hard to believe that you've never looked at someone—boy or girl—and have had some attraction towards them. Like thinking that you and that person would look nice together, or that you wish you could date them, or maybe even other kinds of feelings..." Jace said, looking at his friend more seriously than Alec ever saw him look.

"Well, I have." Alec said a little too quickly, realizing that person was _Jace_. There wasn't really anyone else he thought of that way. There was no other person that Alec would stare at longingly or think about for a long amount of time in a loving way.

"So, were they boys or girls?"

"Girls..." Alec said reluctantly, but luckily it wasn't noticeable.

"Do you know specifically which girls?"

"No, not really."

"Okay, if you're really sure about that. But, to be honest with you, I've always sometimes wondered if you were gay or not, ever since high school. Just because of those reasons." Jace admitted.

"What can I do to make you believe that I'm not?" Alec asked.

"Well, you kind of have to go out with a girl to prove to me that you're not gay. And actually like them." he replied.

Alec remembered that Jordan and Sebastian had said that when they were joking around with him. They were talking about how Alec never had a girlfriend, and they were starting to think he was gay, but more in a joking way. Either Jordan or Sebastian—Alec didn't remember—had told him they would be convinced he wasn't gay if he went out with a girl to prove it. But of course, the conversation wasn't that serious to begin with.

"Okay, I guess I could try." Alec said.

"I don't want to force you into anything, Alec. I'm just saying." Jace told him.

"You're not forcing me into anything. I'm serious." Alec reassured him, trying to convince himself.

"Alright," Jace nodded. "But I'm watching you." Then Jace went back to his work, and for a second he thought he was still a little upset, but when he saw that the corner's of his mouth were quirking up into a smile, Alec felt better. Alec chuckled quietly and went back to his own work.

He was glad things weren't as bad between him and Jace as he thought it would be. For some reason he imagined Jace being all upset that he wasn't going to go out with Camille, but he was glad he was wrong. Jace was probably a little disappointed, but obviously he didn't let it bother him, which Alec was relieved about. He didn't want to fight with his best friend over something like this.

But as he kept thinking about how things were finally getting back to normal again, there was one problem in this situation. Alec had just managed to not slip his secret of being gay to Jace, but obviously his friend wasn't that oblivious. So he _had _suspected it for a bit now, however he never even mentioned it. Maybe this whole thing with Camille made Jace make up his mind. Alec had convinced him though, but not without having him on full alert from now on.

And Alec wasn't really sure how long he could keep his secret with Jace supposedly watching him. Being the center of attention wasn't something he could handle for too long.

* * *

Science was Alec's last period of the day, and he was happy about that. Not necessarily because it was one of his favorite subjects, but because he could talk to Magnus about the conversation with Jace. He had to tell Magnus that he was a bit more screwed than he thought he would be.

When Alec made sure Sebastian and Jordan weren't paying attention to them anymore, he decided to bring it up. It was a good thing they were also doing homework so Alec had enough time to talk to him.

"Jace asked me questions about the Camille situation." Alec started.

"And what happened?" Magnus asked.

"Well, let's just say I'm kind of in trouble." Alec said slowly. "Jace suspects that I'm gay."

Magnus smiled a little. "How is that being in trouble? You could have told him right then and there that you were gay. It would have been much easier."

"Well, the first thing running through my mind was that I _shouldn't _tell him, so... yeah. I just didn't feel like it was the right time, you know?" Alec explained.

"Right," Magnus nodded. "You want to be able to come out with someone."

"Uh-huh," Alec agreed. "So now Jace says he'll be watching me. Because he still suspects even after everything I've told him."

At that, Magnus laughed. Alec frowned, not really getting why it was so funny. When Alec asked what was so funny, Magnus shook his head and dismissed it.

"It's fine, I just find it amusing." he answered with a wide smile on his face. "You really shouldn't worry about it. Just do what you always do and Jace won't have any reason to suspect you."

"Okay," Alec said, but he wasn't really sure about that. What if Jace started to suspect him even more every time he would hang out with Magnus? Not that he and Magnus were dating or anything, but it could still be something to suspect.

Alec didn't want to say what he was thinking to Magnus, so he just smiled at him and went back to his work. Magnus gave him a nice smile back and turned back to his own work, so Alec no longer had the courage to start-up another conversation on that topic. He just wanted to leave things as they were at the moment.

However, Alec felt the need to bring it back up with Camille. Before going to soccer practice, he went to Camille's locker to talk to her. She looked pretty surprised to see him, and she didn't seem to give the effort to hide her shock.

"Alec, what brings you here? You should be going to practice." Camille said.

"I needed to talk to you about the situation at lunch."

Camille didn't look too thrilled. "What about it?"

"Jace and I talked more about it during English, and... he suspects that I'm gay." Alec said.

Camille's eyes widened. "What? He does? Well, what did you tell him?"

"I told him I wasn't, obviously. I don't want him to know. He's not convinced just yet, but he kind of believes me. The worst part is that he's going to be watching me."

"Watching you?"

"Yeah, to find proof that I'm gay." Alec explained.

Camille's eyebrows knit together in a big frown, her face full on serious. She looked bothered, troubled. Alec suspected her to react this way, but he was anxiously waiting for her to say something.

"This is really a problem for you, isn't it?" Camille said, placing her hands on her hips. "You might actually get caught."

"Yeah," Alec nodded. "Guess I was wrong went I thought no one suspected me..."

"This just gives another reason to why you shouldn't hang out with Magnus too much." Camille said, shaking her head.

"How does that have anything to do with anything?" Alec asked, although he already knew that Camille would bring Magnus up. Somehow the sparkly student was always brought up in their conversations, and Alec had to admit he was thinking the same thing not too long ago.

"He'll suspected that you and Magnus have some sort of thing together." Camille explained, looking a little annoyed that he had to ask. "Not that I would blame him, anyway."

"I don't like him, I told you." Alec said, and this time a frown formed on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is that so?" Camille started to sound just like she did on their date: angry and pissed off. "Then how come I think you like him?"

"I don't know," Alec said. "Maybe you're just imagining things. Because I don't like him. He's just my friend."

"If you say so." Camille sighed. "So, are you going to not hang out with Magnus as much from now on?"

"No," Alec's frown never left his face. "I'm not doing that."

"Why not?"

"Because Magnus is a good friend. I'm not going to stop hanging out with him because of that."

"Then you really do like him, don't you? If you spend one day without him, it's the end of the world." Camille stated bitterly.

"That is _not _true." Alec argued. "He's just a _friend_."

"If he's just a friend, then it really shouldn't be that hard to stop following him around like a lost puppy." she spat, grabbing her bag and slamming her locker shut before stalking down the hallway and out of sight. Alec didn't even have time to protest as he watched her walk away.

Feeling angry, Alec quickly made his way to the changing room to get ready for soccer practice. Since Alec was already in a bad mood, it didn't help when Sebastian added that he was always being late in a frustrated way. So Alec snapped right back at him, which shut up his friend pretty quickly.

During soccer practice, Alec wasn't doing very good. He would always mess up somehow; either miss the ball or not kick properly. Sebastian kept asking him what was wrong, but Alec would only answer by saying he was just a little tired. Eventually the other players would ask him why he was doing terribly, but Alec would always answer what he told Sebastian. Even after practice the coach went up to him personally.

"Alec, is something on your mind? You seem pretty out of it today." he asked worryingly.

"I'm fine coach. Just tired, that's all." Alec replied.

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "But if there's anything bothering you, just know you can always talk to me about it, alright?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded, and quickly went over to the football field to meet up with Jace and the others. Sebastian was already there.

Of course, as soon as Alec was in ear shot of Clary, Maia and Sebastian, he heard them talking about him. Sebastian was telling the two girls how terrible Alec had done during soccer practice.

"I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with him, but if he doesn't snap out of it by the finals, we're pretty much screwed." Sebastian was saying, but as soon as he heard Alec coming towards them, he turned his head to look at him surprisingly.

"Seb, why are you making such a big deal out of this? This is the only time I've been this bad." Alec said a little angrily.

"Yeah, well, what if it becomes an everyday thing?" Sebastian asked.

"I already told you, I'm just tired." he reassured him. "As soon as I get some rest, I'll be fine."

"You know what I'm thinking?" Sebastian said. "The reason why you were so off today was because of Camille, wasn't it? Something happened and now you two are just friends."

"_Seb,"_ Maia said in a stern tone. "Don't make assumptions like that."

"Well, isn't it true?" he questioned, eying Alec suspiciously.

"It was a decision we both made together. Why would I be upset that we're just friends?" Alec said.

"Maybe there's something you haven't told us." Sebastian shrugged. "You don't have to keep everything from us. We're here to help if anything's wrong, you know."

"I know," Alec said, starting to feel guilty that there was actually _so much_ he hadn't told any of his friends about the date. He only told Magnus about it, and he only knew him for a month. And his three friends standing right there in front of him had known him for years now. "I guess I'm just a little disappointed how things turned out."

Clary gave him a sympathetic look. "You don't have to share it with us if you don't want to, Alec."

"It's fine," Alec said with a small smile. "There's not much to say. Camille just doesn't feel as if we can be more than friends."

"So Camille said that, not you?" Sebastian asked.

"Yeah, she brought it up first. But... I agreed, after all. But it's still kind of disappointing, you know? Everyone thought that we could be more than friends, and it just seems as if I've let everyone down." Alec explained, looking down at his feet.

"That's not true," Maia quickly assured him.

"Yeah, of course not. It was just shocking that you and Camille just want to be friends." Sebastian agreed.

"And we're not going to ask exactly what happened if you don't want to." Clary added, looking over at Sebastian. He only nodded his head.

"Thanks, guys." Alec's smiled widened a bit; it was an actual smile this time. "I'm glad you understand."

There was a moment of silence in between the four friends. It wasn't awkward anymore, to Alec's relief. He was glad to have been able to tell them part of the truth. He wasn't sure when he could tell them the complete truth, but he didn't want to think about that now. The only other conversation that they had before Jace and Jordan were done practice was when Clary asked where Magnus was. It took Alec a second to remember that he had to leave right after school to go to a dentist appointment. He had to admit he missed his friend's presence. But it was probably better if he wasn't here today.

Finally, when Jace and Jordan walked towards them, the mood was even lighter than it was before. Clary and Maia smiled as they greeted their boyfriends, and Sebastian looked eager to tell both of them something. Of course, it had to do with what they had just talked about a moment ago. So after Sebastian had explained what Alec had said, Jace looked at him surprisingly.

"You didn't tell me that Camille was the one to say she'd rather be friends." he said.

"Well, I guess I forgot to mention it. But I agreed with her, too." Alec clarified.

"I guess I should have expected that. You're way too nice to say that sort of thing." Jace smiled lightly, which caused Alec to chuckle and agree with his best friend.

"Yeah, and don't think that you'll let us down because of this whole thing." Jordan said. "Camille seems like a tough one to get, anyway."

Again, Alec had to agree on that one, and everyone was laughing this time. For the next few minutes, their conversation was light and funny, and everyone seemed to have let go of the whole serious atmosphere a few moments ago. Alec also had to admit that he enjoyed moments like this with his friends. When everyone was gathered together and just messing around. It was something everyone could enjoy.

Suddenly, Alec looked off to the side and spotted Jonathan on the football field. He was with someone else—a girl. The two seemed to be talking and laughing, and Alec guessed it was Jonathan's girlfriend. Although her back was to them, he recognized her from the mall. He had only seen her backside that time, too. But when the two started to walk away, she turned around in Alec's direction, and his eyes grew wide with a sudden realization.

She looked very familiar, but it was hard to remember where. He had probably only seen her very briefly, which made it even harder to place where exactly he had seen her before. As the two were walking side by side, Alec saw a bright smile appear on her face as Jonathan was telling her something. And that's what made him remember where she had seen her.

Natasha, Jonathan's girlfriend, was the waitress who had served Alec and Camille on Saturday.

**Alright, so that's the end of the ninth chapter! I hope it wasn't too boring. I know it was probably another sort of filler, but I wanted to show everyone's reaction to the date. Especially Jace's reaction. But anyway, I promise that the next chapter will be much more interesting! ;) Oh, and I'm sorry if your name is Natasha, but I just came up with a random name on the spot. It's purely coincidental. She won't be in the story too much, though. But anyway... not much else to say on this chapter. Please review, even though the update was late. Reviews make me super happy and keep me motivated! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**School is really being a pain in my ass. Seriously guys. You don't know how frustrated I've been for the past week or two. Since the holidays are now a week away (YAY!), and there are a few things we still haven't learned in class, they're starting to think, "Hey, let's rush everything in two weeks by throwing them tests, projects and shit loads of homework!" Yeah... no. But anyway, now that I'm done ranting, let's move on! XD I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed! It means so much to me! :) Please enjoy this chapter even though I updated later than usual (I've done that a lot lately)!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.**

Chapter Ten

It was mid-October by the time it started to get colder. This year, the warm weather seemed to have stayed longer than last year, which was relieving in some cases. Since Alec and his friends had practice outside, it was a lot less tortuous than it could have been. But now that the leaves were falling, the wind was blowing stronger, and it rained much more often, everyone could kiss the summer weather goodbye.

Since it was mid-October, the football season was soon coming to an end at St. Xavier's High School. Jace and Jordan were very much looking forward to it, because their football team was quickly making their way to the finals. Alec expected as much—in fact, everyone did—because Jace and Jordan were extremely good at football, and were always determined to win.

One of the good things about football season was that it was the only thing Jace payed attention to. Of course, he still had time for his girlfriend, but football was almost always on his mind. That meant that he wasn't on complete watch over Alec, trying to find proof that he was gay. At least Alec could take a break from his friend and concentrate on his own soccer practices.

When Alec had noticed that Natasha was the waitress who served him and Camille on their date, he felt the need to mention it to Magnus. He wasn't sure why, but he thought it was something worth telling. And about a week ago, he had been approached by Jonathan's girlfriend asking if he and Camille were dating. He explained to her that they were not boyfriend and girlfriend, and that they were just friends. She didn't question any further and didn't speak to him since then. Although sometimes he spotted Natasha glancing over at him from time to time.

Since it was very close to the end of the football season, it also meant that someone's birthday was coming up: Max's. Alec's little brother was really excited for his birthday—he always was—because he was always the last one in the family to celebrate his birthday. He was also happy he could finally say he was thirteen, a teenager. He didn't want to be treated like a child anymore. He was counting the days until his special day, which was this Sunday. So that meant it was only four days away.

It was now lunch, and things were slowly getting back to normal for Alec now. He didn't feel on constant watch anymore, he was no longer being teased by Sebastian and Jordan about Camille, so he could finally rest easy.

"So, it's Max's birthday this Sunday, isn't it?" Jace asked, glancing over at Alec with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, he's pretty excited for it." Alec nodded.

"I don't blame him. Being thirteen is a big thing. It officially makes you a teenager." Maia pointed out.

"Hopefully your parents will be there for his birthday this time." Jace added more glumly, which caused Isabelle and Alec to glance at each other with a serious look.

"Oh, right. They weren't there for his past two birthdays, weren't they?" Clary said with a sort of sympathetic look in her eyes.

"How come?" Magnus questioned out loud. It was true, him and Camille didn't know about the whole situation.

"Well, as you know, my parents are lawyers, and are pretty busy. They aren't home most of the time, and sometimes get unexpected schedule's." Alec explained.

"Unfortunately for Max, our parents' unusual schedule fell on his birthday two years in a row. He was pretty disappointed." Isabelle continued, taking on an even more serious face.

"I remember that. Max was upset for quite a few days." Jace nodded.

"Who wouldn't be? Your own parents missing your birthday. I know I would be upset." Jordan said, and beside him Sebastian nodded his head in agreement.

"Two years in a row, huh? That really is unfortunate." Magnus agreed.

"Were they at least apologetic about it?" Camille asked.

"Well, they would still give him his presents even if they weren't there. It cheered Max up a bit." Alec said.

"Hopefully this year will be different." Clary said in a very hopeful voice. Everyone else seemed to agree on that.

After school, when Alec and the others had practice, he noticed that Natasha was once again watching Jonathan practice, farther away from Clary and Maia. As Alec stared at her from a distance away, she glanced in his direction and they immediately made eye contact. Alec wasn't sure what to do, so he nodded his head in an awkward greeting, and she gave a small wave back, looking back at the football field. Alec then turned to Magnus, who was there to watch him practice again. Sebastian was on the other side of the field with the rest of the team.

"Hey, Magnus," Alec said, "Natasha keeps looking this way. She's been doing that a lot lately."

Said person glanced at the football field, where Natasha was standing. "Maybe she likes you."

"I doubt it. Do you see how she acts around Jonathan?"

"I don't waste my time paying attention to arrogant asses like him." Magnus shrugged. "But I suppose you're right, if she's still going out with him."

"Who knows, maybe he treats his girlfriend's nicely." Alec pointed out.

"Wouldn't want to find out, that's for sure." Magnus grinned slightly. "You shouldn't concentrate on him and Natasha. Go ahead and join the rest of your team."

"You'll be watching, I'm assuming?"

"As usual, sweetheart." Magnus said with a wink, which caused Alec to blush slightly. For some reason he would always heat up when Magnus made those flirty moves.

"Alright," Alec nodded, and headed over to Sebastian and the others.

Even though the football finals were next week, not too long after were when the soccer finals occurred. The soccer team was working pretty hard practicing, too. Probably not as hardcore as the football team, but that was only because the finals weren't as close.

Also, Alec was finally back to normal when it came to practices. Everyone in the team—including the coach and even Magnus—were relieved that he wasn't out of it anymore. Alec was glad, too. He had been worried that he wouldn't be able to get back into his normal routine before the finals. But since Camille wasn't much of a problem for him anymore, it was fine. Or at least, she wasn't a problem so far.

Ever since that comment Camille made about Alec following Magnus around like a lost puppy, he felt a little more hostile towards her. He was angry at her and barely spoke to her a few days after that, but the anger slowly faded when Camille didn't make any other comments and made no signs of insulting him again. There was still an awkward tension in each others presence, but that couldn't be helped.

Alec's parents had asked him not too long ago about him and Camille. He remembered telling them he would consider going on another date with her, but he couldn't lie to them, so he told them what he told all of his friends. His parents didn't react as much as his friends did; not even close. They never even met Camille, so they just nodded their heads and left it at that. They weren't as much in a hurry to meet her anymore—or even Magnus—but they still said it wouldn't hurt to be introduced. And so far, Camille and Magnus have never met Alec's parents.

After soccer practice, Alec, Sebastian and Magnus headed over to the football field as usual. Clary and Maia greeted them happily and they all started a nice conversation. Natasha was still standing at the same spot she was before, texting on her cellphone, but it just got a lot more awkward now that she was even closer to him. When she glanced up and looked over at him, Alec quickly looked away, not even sure how to react to that situation. He barely knew this girl—who was, incidentally, going out with someone he didn't particularly like—and she would always meet eye contact with him. How more awkward could that get?

Magnus seemed to have notice Alec's uneasiness, because he leaned over to whisper quite subtly: "Is Natasha staring at you again?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded, not even glancing back at Jonathan's girlfriend.

"I'm telling you, she totally digs you." Magnus whispered in a teasing tone.

"Shut up," Alec snapped, trying not to laugh. A giant grin formed on his face, though.

Jace and Jordan walked towards them once they had finished practice. They looked extremely happy, despite looking a little exhausted from practice. The finals were a week away after all, and the football coach was drilling everyone to go full-out. From what Alec saw from it, the team looked pretty much ready to kick anyone's ass.

"Man, I am so looking forward to the finals this year." Jace grinned, looking as if he couldn't stay on his own two feet. "It's our last year, so we have to make it count."

"Yeah, and I'm having a pretty good feeling about it this year." Jordan's smile matched Jace's as he said so.

"Well, of course." Maia smiled herself. "You guys won last year, after all. I'm sure with the same team again this year, your chances of winning will be pretty high."

"I also have to admit that Jonathan is a great addition to the team. I only like him when we're playing." Jace added, glancing over at Clary, who chuckled slightly. Jordan nodded his head in agreement.

"Hey, didn't you say at the beginning of the year that you hated the fact that you had to see him every day?" Alec asked.

"Well, of course I hate it. But when he practices with us, that's different." Jace replied, and Alec shook his head, figuring that Jace _always _had a reason for everything. Although his reasoning made sense—and he was probably in the heat of the moment by being so excited for the finals—it was still funny that he would say something good about Clary's brother.

After a few more minutes Alec went over to the gym where Isabelle was practicing her cheerleading. Since her squad cheered for the football team, they were working pretty hard, too. They wanted their cheers to be as perfect as they could be, since football was a big deal to nearly everyone at school. Alec would sometimes find Isabelle practicing her cheer in her room, and then she would yell at him to go away as she slammed the door shut. Isabelle took her cheerleading very seriously, it seemed.

As Isabelle was finishing up her own practice, Alec noticed that Max was smiling widely. Alec couldn't help but smile at his brother's excitement for his birthday. It was almost cute to watch him barely be able to keep still beside Simon, who was of course really into watching Isabelle doing her cheers with her other teammates.

"Max, you look really happy." Alec commented once he sat down beside his brother. Magnus, who was the only one who had stayed after Jace and Jordan's football practice, sat down on Alec's other side.

"Yeah, of course I am." Max smiled. "I know I shouldn't be this excited, but I can't help it. I'll finally be thirteen."

"I remember how excited I was when I was thirteen." Magnus said, sounding almost as happy as Max. "That's when I had gotten my first cellphone."

"You know what Clary and Simon promised me for my birthday? They told me they would take me to Forbidden Planet." Max's smile grew even wider, and he turned to the teenager with glasses. "Right Simon?"

"Sorry, what?" he said, snapping back to reality and glancing over at his friends confusingly.

Max sighed, pushing his own glasses up to the top of his nose. "I said, you and Clary promised to take me to my favorite comic book store on my birthday."

Before Simon could answer, Alec let out a small snort. "Of course you weren't paying attention. Were you too busy drooling over my sister?"

Simon blushed furiously. "I was not drooling over her. I was just watching her, that's all."

"Oh, give the poor kid a break." Magnus said in defense of the embarrassed teenager. "He can't help the fact that his hormones are raging."

Simon looked even more embarrassed, which was probably Magnus' intention, because he started to laugh. Max had a disgusted look on his face, while Alec just rolled his eyes in annoyance. He had to admit, though, that it was pretty funny how red Simon's face looked right now.

Finally, when Isabelle's practice was finished, Alec and his siblings, along with Magnus and Simon, all headed home, telling each other goodbye and looking forward to seeing each other again tomorrow. What surprised Alec a little was that Isabelle and Simon hugged before having to part ways. Not that the two never hugged each other before, but it was starting to be a lot more frequent now.

As Alec was driving, he looked over in the rear-view mirror and saw Max looking out the window, smiling. Alec couldn't help but feel happy. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood nowadays. Isabelle was happily texting Simon, humming along to the song playing on the radio and Jace and Jordan were ecstatic for the football finals. Everyone else seemed to be in a good mood, too, which made Alec really glad.

So things really were turning out well.

* * *

Sunday couldn't come fast enough for Max. When Saturday had come, he was almost skipping around the house excitedly, saying that his birthday was tomorrow. Once Isabelle had told him, out of annoyance, that he shouldn't be this excited when it wasn't even his birthday yet, even if it was tomorrow. She said he was allowed to act like this on the 14th, which was the date of his birthday. He replied by sticking his tongue out at her.

Max did seem to follow his sister's orders, because he calmed down for the rest of the day and spent most of his time in his room, playing video games. Isabelle was, of course practicing her cheers as usual, while Alec was finishing up homework he received on Friday.

When Clary and Simon had promised to take Max to Forbidden Planet—the two of them loved to read manga and comic books too—Alec and Isabelle promised to bring him to the nearest video game store to let him pick out any game he wanted, which was supposed to last the afternoon. But what Max was really looking forward to the most was that their parents would be there for his birthday this year. Yesterday they had told Max they were free during the whole day, which made him even more excited.

Now it was Sunday morning, and Alec had woken up early like he usually did most days. Since he woke up early to go to school, his brain had gotten used to waking him up earlier than he intended to on the weekends. That was one thing he missed about summer: getting used to waking up late. Not that it bothered him that much. He was a morning person as a kid, and still considered himself to be one.

Alec slowly got out of bed, stretched, and went to the bathroom, which was his usual morning routine. Then, stepping out of the bathroom, he made his way down the hallway, spotting Isabelle and Max coming out of their rooms.

"Morning, you guys." he greeted with a smile. He then turned to his little brother. "Happy birthday, Max."

"Happy birthday!" Isabelle said, going over to hug Max, but he stepped out of the way.

"Thanks," he said. "But you don't have to hug me."

"Oh, you're too grown up for Isabelle's birthday hugs, aren't you?" she said, placing her hands on her hips. Max nodded in response.

"Maybe he his." Alec said, his smile widening. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Let's go over to the kitchen and have breakfast."

As they made their way to the kitchen, Max said: "I wonder if mom and dad are still asleep?"

Before anyone could answer, Max stopped dead in his tracks. They were standing in the kitchen, a few feet away from the table. On it was what looked like a note and a wrapped gift. Max took on a look of complete confusion before slowly walking up to the table. Alec and Isabelle glanced at each other before following behind their brother.

Max, still moving in slow motion, picked up the note and started to read it. Looking over his shoulder, Alec could easily read it too. It said:

_Dear Max,_

_Happy birthday! We're sorry for not being here to celebrate it with you. Unfortunately, we got another last minute call in for an emergency at work. We're going to be away for the whole day, and we won't be back until late at night. We just wanted to let you know that we think you're growing up so fast, and we're very proud of you. Please enjoy this gift; we think you'll really enjoy it. We love you so much._

_Mom and Dad_

After reading the note, Max set it back down on the table and glanced at the small wrapped gift beside it. Alec and Isabelle were still quiet—they didn't know what to say—and they just stood there behind him, waiting anxiously.

Max unwrapped the gift, taking his time as he did so. He seemed to be in shock by the letter. Not that Alec could blame him, really. He couldn't imagine what his brother must be feeling inside. As he cautiously ripped away the wrapping paper, Alec started to notice what it was he got. On the box was the picture of a cellphone, with the brand written on the top. Once all the wrapping paper was removed, Max stared at the box for a moment before slowly opening it.

It revealed the same cellphone that was displayed on the box: a pocket-sized, black phone with a touch screen and, with what Alec could remember from that brand of phone, a keypad you could reveal by sliding the top half of the phone to text. It was a nice phone, but that's probably not what Max was thinking about right now. He took it out of the box and turned it over a couple of times in his hands, as if examining something he never saw before.

"Max..." Isabelle started, but was cut short as her younger brother did something none of them were expecting.

He threw it.

He threw it with all his might, swinging his arm back and letting out a small grunt when he flung it out of his hand. It flew across the room and hit the wall with a crash. Naturally, the phone broke into pieces as it fell to the ground. Isabelle's mouth hung open in shock, and Alec's eyes grew wide. Another thing happened that both siblings did not expect.

He started to cry.

At first, they couldn't hear him. His sobs were quiet and subtle. But eventually, Max's body shook as his sobs became louder. He covered his face with his hands and started to cry even more, unable to stop. Before he could do anything else, Alec gently wrapped his arms around his brother, pulling him into a tight hug. Isabelle quickly joined the hug, her arms passing around Max and Alec.

"Three times... It's been three times now..." Max sobbed loudly. "It's not fair."

"Ssh," Alec said softly, his heart breaking by every choking word that came out of his brother's mouth. He hated to see him like this. It really wasn't fair.

"You don't have to say anything, Max." Isabelle whispered. With one hand, she started to pet his hair in a reassuring and almost motherly way.

The three siblings stood there for a few minutes, letting Max cry for as long as he needed to. His crying didn't last too long, though. His crying started to turn back into sobs, then smaller sobs, and finally a couple of sniffles. Alec and Isabelle slowly pulled away from his brother to give him some space, and the youngest sibling wiped his nose with his sleeve, pushing up his glasses as he did so.

"Feeling better now?" Alec asked in the same soft voice he used before.

"A little..." Max said, sniffling.

"Don't worry, Max." Isabelle said, placing her hands on his shoulders, making him face her. "We'll make it the best birthday ever."

All he did was shrug. Obviously, he wasn't as enthusiastic about his birthday anymore, since their parents weren't going to be here to celebrate it yet again.

"Let's just have breakfast first." Alec decided, and slowly they both agreed.

Alec was the one who made breakfast, after Isabelle picked up the broken cellphone pieces off the ground and threw away the wrapping paper and note that their parents left for Max. He made bacon and eggs—a usual breakfast that they ate—and served his siblings and himself without saying much. Breakfast was done in complete silence, and it was such an awkward and sad atmosphere that Alec had to break it.

"Max, aren't you still looking forward to going to Forbidden Planet and to the video game store this afternoon?" he asked him, hoping that would bring his hopes up.

Max shook his head. "I don't think I want to go anymore."

"Why not?" Isabelle asked in a shocked voice. "It's your two favorite places in the world. Why would you miss up on that?"

"I just... don't feel like doing anything today." Max said with a shrug. "If mom and dad aren't going to be here for supper, what's the point?"

"What's the point?" Isabelle started to sound a little upset by that. "There's still a point in going, even though mom and dad won't be here for supper. You can still have a fun afternoon and enjoy your birthday without them."

"It's not the same, Izzy." Max said in a small voice, his eyes glassy. "Mom and dad are never here for my birthday. They say they're sorry, but all they do is buy me expensive gifts to pay up for it."

"We know that buying things doesn't pay up for it. It shouldn't. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun on your birthday." Isabelle argued, although her voice softened

"You don't get it, do you?" Max slammed his fork on his plate. "Mom and dad haven't missed your birthday three years in a row. They always seem to find time for you and Alec, but not for me! And I'm sick of them missing my birthday! I'm sick of them never being here!"

Isabelle frowned. "They're never here for any of us. It's not just you who suffers. Maybe not as much as you, but we do too. Don't put all the attention on yourself!"

Max's eyes filled with tears, and he was about to say something, but all that came out was a choking sob. Alec just about had it at this point.

"Enough!" he said loudly, causing Isabelle and Max to look at him with wide eyes. "Isabelle, stop yelling at Max when he's already this upset."

"But—"

"Don't." Alec said. "Just have a little sympathy for him, why don't you? It's not like mom and dad ever missed our birthday's before. Maybe once or twice, but not three years in a row. You have to try to put yourself in his shoes."

"I understand that." Isabelle said seriously. "But it's not like mom and dad are ever here to begin with. It doesn't make a difference, does it?"

"It does." Max said, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "They can be gone to work all day and every day, and that won't bother me. But as soon as they miss my birthday... that's when it hits me."

Isabelle's eyes filled with sadness. "Mom and dad will never have time for us. You have to accept the fact that they think about their job before us."

Max sniffled, looking down at his empty plate. "I know, but... it still hurts. Why can't they just be here all day just this once, for my birthday? They don't even try."

"You have to understand that mom and dad can't decided what their schedule's are all the time." Alec explained. "It's true that they probably don't try to get the day off, but their job is still not very flexible."

"I know..." Max was still looking down at his plate, and he trailed off, as if not knowing what else to say.

"Tell you what." Alec said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You'll still go to Forbidden Planet and the video game store like we originally planned. Just don't worry about suppertime for now. We can still enjoy it together anyway, right?"

Max looked back up at his brother with a hopeful look in his eyes. "I guess."

"Come on, Max." Isabelle said encouragingly. "Alec and I will be here for you. What do you say?"

"Well, alright." their little brother said with a more confident tone to his voice. "I guess that sounds good."

"Good," Alec smiled, relief washing over him. It was clear that Max was feeling a little better.

"Oh, and I'm sorry for yelling at you." Isabelle added, looking very apologetic.

"It's okay." Max gave his sister a small smile. He meant what he said, but it was hard for him to smile since he was still upset.

Alec had to admit to himself that he was upset with his parents. How could they miss Max's birthday three years in a row when they barely missed his and Isabelle's birthday's? They had to have put some effort into being able to be there for his two oldest kid's birthday, so why not put the same amount of effort to not miss Max's birthday? At this point, the excuse of having to go to work was starting to get old.

Nonetheless, Alec couldn't think about that right now. He had to think about Max, and how to make him feel better on his birthday. He knew what to do for most of the afternoon, but he still had no clue what to do for supper to make his younger brother forget about his parents for the day.

* * *

After Max went to Forbidden Planet with Simon and Clary, he was feeling better. The two had allowed Max to buy a few comic books—and of course, all Max bought were mangas—and then they brought him back home for Alec and Isabelle to take him to the video game store. Right now the three siblings were at the video game store, and Max was looking around the store excitedly, pointing out games that he had and ones that he didn't have, but really wanted. Isabelle and Alec were listening patiently through his explanations of certain games—those of which he said were his favorites. Alec found it funny how he was so enthusiastic about everything.

Alec still wasn't sure what he would do for supper. He didn't know what to prepare, or if he should order something. His thoughts were soon interrupted when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He checked to see that Magnus had sent him a text.

_Hey, Alec dearest ;) How's Max? Is he enjoying his birthday?_

Alec smiled. _Hey Magnus! Yeah, he is. We're at the video game store right now. But one thing... my parents are missing his birthday._

_Oh no. How did he take it?_

_Not very well at first. He threw his present across the room._

_What was the present?_

_A cellphone. How ironic, huh? That's when you got your first cell._

_Yeah, quite ironic :P But won't your parents be mad or something?_

_They won't care. It's just a phone. My parents will probably buy him another one._

_True... but oh well. He's enjoying himself now, I'm guessing?_

_Yeah :) I just don't know what to do for supper. I have no plans for it, since my parents won't be here._

_Does he have a favorite restaurant? Maybe you could order from someplace or go there._

_I was thinking that. I'd have to ask him I suppose._

_Hey, I have an idea! How about you surprise him completely by bringing him home, but having a few friends waiting for him? You could order something that he likes._

Alec wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of that sooner. He thought Magnus was a genius for thinking that up. His smile widened, and he looked around to make sure no one had seen that big goofy grin of his before replying.

_Magnus, you're a genius! That's a good idea. I don't think Max will see that coming._

_I know, I know ;) Do you at least have a cake for him?_

_Yup. Bought it yesterday. Then I could order some pizza or something. It could be a birthday party for him._

_Good. Well, looks like everything is settled, huh?_

_Yes. Thank you so much Magnus!_

_No problem, sweetheart._

Alec hesitated before sending him another text. _Hey, did you wanna come over for Max's birthday party? You know, since you came up with the idea._

_Nah, I wouldn't wanna intrude. I think it's a time for Max's family and friends, not yours ;)_

_Haha, good point._

_Thanks anyway, darling!_

Alec had to admit he felt a little disappointed that Magnus wasn't going to be there with him today. Not that it made much sense to invite Magnus to Max's surprise birthday party, he was just finding an excuse to hang out with his friend. As Alec thought about that, he started to blush. Since when was he so attached to his friend?

"What's up with you?" Isabelle asked, walking up to him with a questionable look written all over her face. "Why are you blushing?"

Alec put his phone away and shook his head. "Nothing,"

"Yeah, _right_," Isabelle rolled her eyes. "You were so thinking about Magnus just now. And I'm guessing he's the one you were texting."

"You're right, I was texting him. But I... It's just hot in here." Alec said, realizing that was the lamest thing he had ever said.

"No it's not." Isabelle started. "And by the way—"

Luckily for Alec, his sister was interrupted by another familiar voice coming in his direction. It was Max, with a big grin on his face.

"Guys, I found the game I wanted." he said, waving it towards them. "Can we go now?"

"Let me see that." Alec ordered, and his little brother handed him the game sheepishly. Alec had established a rule that Max wasn't allowed to play video games that were at a higher rating than T, which he thought was right. Once he made sure the rating was no more than T, he handed the game back to his brother. "Good, you can have it."

"You act like such a parent sometimes." Isabelle said with a small snort.

"Well, someone has to." Alec replied, and the three siblings headed to the front desk to buy their item.

Afterward, Alec was able to call three of Max's close friends to come over to their house—who were Ethan, Spenser and Joey—as soon as they were done at the video game store in the mall and still walking around. Max had asked if they could get ice cream, and Isabelle and Alec agreed. They were pretty hungry themselves.

"Who were you calling?" Isabelle asked, whispering to her brother while they were walking towards the exit of the mall.

"Some of Max's friends. We're throwing him a small surprise party. You know, since Joey knows the code to our garage, they can just go inside." Alec explained.

"Good idea. Max will be happy." Isabelle said with a smile on her face. "Is that what you were talking to Magnus about?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded. "It was his idea."

"Smart guy." his sister said, and Alec had to agree on that.

After about twenty minutes of driving, the three siblings finally got home. He knew that Max's friends were already at the house, since he called them over a half hour ago, and it took about five to ten minutes from their homes to get to Max's.

Max was talking about some manga he was reading while they were making their way up the driveway and onto the front porch. Isabelle was listening with an impatient look on her face, and Alec was too busy unlocking the door to the house. He knew that the best part was about to come: Max's reaction to all of this.

As soon as Max stepped inside, the look of shock on his face was made very clear. His eyes widened and his mouth made an 'O' shape as he saw his three friends standing at the entrance and yelling, "Surprise!"

"Oh my God!" Max exclaimed. "What are you guys doing here?"

"To celebrate your birthday, of course!" Joey said, a wide smile on his face.

"Happy birthday!" Spenser and Ethan cried in unison, their arms above their heads.

"Wow, you guys..." Max still looked shocked, and he seemed at a loss for words. Slowly he looked over at his siblings. "Did you two...?"

"Told you we would make it the best birthday ever." Isabelle said simply, crossing her arms over her chest.

Max's eyes lit up with a lot of excitement and appreciation. His grin looked like it would never leave his face. He looked absolutely thankful. He looked really, truly happy. Looking at their little brother like that brought such joy and relief to both Alec and Isabelle.

"Thank you so much." he said in a hushed voice, and then turned to his friends, chatting away in loud and happy voices.

"Good job, bro." Isabelle whispered, leaning closer to Alec. "You really made Max happy."

"You should thank Magnus for coming up with the idea." he said.

"Fine. I thank you for having such an amazing future boyfriend." Isabelle corrected herself, and then she quickly got a playful punch on the arm from her brother.

She just laughed.

* * *

Max had a lot of fun on his surprise birthday party. Alec's plan to make his brother forget about his parents for the rest of the day seemed to have worked. Their parents were not mentioned at all during the party. It wasn't until the following day that they had to be mentioned.

Monday morning was fine, since their parents weren't there, as usual. Even school hours were great, too. More people wished Max a late happy birthday, and he thanked them all happily. However, it wasn't until after school and close to suppertime that things got complicated. As soon as their parents came come, Alec knew there would be some problems.

"Hello, Alexander." his mother greeted him, once she spotted him in the living room. "Where are Max and Isabelle?"

"In their rooms." Alec answered.

And that was how long their first conversation lasted. About an hour later when Maryse had finished supper, and Robert was setting up the table, Alec's mother spoke to him again.

"Alexander, could you please go call your siblings for supper?" she asked, not glancing at him.

"Sure," he replied, and walked over to each of their rooms, telling them dinner was ready.

Then everyone seated themselves at the table, and it was an awkward silence at first. Everyone was staring down at their plates, and Alec was not liking the atmosphere. Maryse didn't seem to either because she was the one to start the conversation.

"Max, was everything alright yesterday?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was fun." he replied, not looking up at his mother.

"Good," Robert nodded. "How do you like your cellphone?"

"Uh..." Max looked up at Alec and Isabelle, a pleading look in his eyes. It was obvious he needed help to lie about his broken phone.

"Max dropped it down the stairs, and it broke. We had to throw it out." Isabelle said, knowing that neither Max nor Alec could lie very well in situations like this.

"You did what?" their mother asked, although she didn't sound too upset.

"Sorry, it just slipped out of my hand." Max said, his eyes following a piece of broccoli he was playing with.

"You should learn to be more careful, son." Robert said seriously.

"Yes, dad." he agreed in a small voice. Clearly he was starting to feel all upset again.

"You're lucky we'll be getting you a new one, though." Maryse said. "Next time you won't be so lucky."

_Lucky? How is Max at all lucky? _Alec thought to himself, a frown forming on his face. It was ironic how his parents counted him lucky at all. They missed his birthday three years in a row, and now they're counting him lucky that they're buying him another phone after he purposefully broke it. Sure, most parents wouldn't get their kid another phone after they broke it—accident or not—but that probably wasn't Max's first concern right now.

Just when Alec thought things were getting so much better, it was actually getting worse.

**Poor Max. His parents are so cold sometimes. But hey, I don't know how else to write them. I had to make them always busy and distant from their children, since that's pretty much their relationship in the actual books. To make up for this sad chapter, there's going to be a lot of Malec next chapter, okay? Does that make it better? :P Oh, and Forbidden Planet was actually mentioned in City of Glass, if any of you remember. Clary promised to take Max there before he passed away. Also, Ethan, Spenser and Joey are completely made up by me. Now, when I'll be able to update, I'm not sure. As soon as this last week before the winter break is over, I'll have much more time to write. So count on that! And... please review! I would really appreciate it if you did! Bye! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Merry (late) Christmas everyone! I actually wanted to post this chapter the day before Christmas, but I was actually pretty busy with family and stuff. And not to mention I've occupied myself with my new gifts I received, and didn't have a lot of time afterward when I was working on this chapter. But now it's finally up! So, I hope you enjoy my late Christmas present to all of you. Enjoy! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own the Mortal Instruments. Cassandra Clare does, and she always will.**

Chapter Eleven

Max ended up getting a new cellphone—the same one that he broke—a day after their discussion at the dinner table. This time Max made sure not to break it again, because it would be a little suspicious if he claimed to have accidentally broken it again. Besides, it's not like his parents would buy him another one. Maryse made it pretty clear on that.

Max was still upset with his parents anyway, even though they had bought him a new phone. He was very thankful towards Alec and Isabelle, though. He had really enjoyed his small surprise birthday party that they had thrown for him at the last minute. Alec knew, however, that Max would get over it once the football finals arrived. He wasn't one to hold grudges very much. Unless it was something extremely bad—even worse than his parents missing his birthday.

Naturally, the football team had made it to the finals. Everyone had seen it coming, of course. The school was extremely excited and into the spirit of it. Jace and Jordan—along with the rest of the football team—were beyond ecstatic. The only thing they would talk about was football, and nothing more, nothing less. In class, during class, at football practice... There wasn't a moment when they wouldn't be talking about it.

Oddly enough, Alec didn't find it as annoying as he thought he would. He could say he was used to Jace's enthusiasm when it came to football. Ever since they were six, Jace has always taken an interest in football. His passion for that sport never faded, and Alec was pretty sure it never would. Alec started to enjoy soccer when he was six, too, but he wasn't as dedicated to it as much as Jace was when it came to football. Alec was more open to other sports, after all.

The finals were tomorrow—which was a Friday—so the football team had one more day to practice. When Alec and Sebastian had finished up with their soccer practice, they walked over to Clary and Maia with Magnus and Max at their heels. Alec could see that the football team was pretty determined to win, what with the way they were practicing and the serious look on their faces. Their coach was yelling at them to do better, faster and to not stop what they were doing. Alec found the determination written all over Jace's face as he practiced to be extremely adorable.

"To be honest with you guys, I'm really glad the finals are coming to an end." Maia explained.

"Why?" Sebastian asked.

"Because it's all Jordan and Jace talk about! I understand how they're so excited—so am I—but it's none stop. As much as I love Jordan, it can get a little irritating." Maia said, glancing over at her boyfriend and his teammates.

"Yeah, that's true." Clary agreed. "Jace and I can't have a conversation without him mentioning football."

"It's not even a little cute for you guys? How determined your boyfriends are?" Sebastian said.

The two of them agreed that it was great how they were really into the finals, but it wasn't necessarily cute. Alec had to hold back the thought that if he were Jace's boyfriend, he would never complain to him about one of his passions. But he quickly let that thought slide.

"Just a piece of advice, though." Magnus started. "To make them shut up about football, you should threaten them by refusing to have sex with them."

Clary and Maia both laughed at that, as well as Sebastian, while Alec stared at Magnus incredulously. He heard Max standing beside him letting out a disgusted noise.

"Is that how you threaten people?" Alec asked his sparkly friend.

He only shrugged. "I'm telling you it works for any guy."

"And do you know that by experience?" Sebastian asked with a sly grin.

"Perhaps." Magnus replied with a wink, and Alec rolled his eyes.

"That is really gross." Max commented. "Why would you do that to someone?"

"You'll understand in about a year or two, buddy." Magnus said while patting his back.

"Okay, I think we're done with this conversation." Alec interrupted, casting a glare in Magnus' direction.

"You're such a stick-in-the-mud." Magnus said, but the grin on his face made it hard to believe that what he said was serious.

After a few minutes of conversing, Jace and Jordan went to join them as usual. They were talking excitedly about the football finals tomorrow, as usual. Magnus would shoot Clary and Maia funny looks, which would cause them to let out small chuckles, thus confusing their boyfriends, since they weren't saying anything funny. Alec couldn't help but laugh himself by the expressions on Magnus' face.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know that there's a party at my house after the finals tomorrow." Jace said.

"Well, what if you guys lose?" Sebastian asked.

"First of all, we're not going to lose. Secondly, either way I'm having a party because it's to celebrate the end of the football season." Jace explained.

"Sounds like fun." Magnus grinned. "I love parties. Who's invited?"

"The football team, the cheerleaders, and all my friends. So that means all of you are invited—including Isabelle, Simon and Camille, who aren't here right now." Jace answered.

"Can I come?" Max asked hopefully.

"I don't know, buddy. You're going to be the only middle school kid there. It'll be pretty boring for you." Jace replied.

"No it won't! I'm thirteen now." Max stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It will be boring for you, Max. There's no one else at the party who's going to want to play video games or read manga with you." Alec said.

"Trust us, buddy." Jace added, which caused Max to sigh.

"You always say no." he said, but he didn't sound as disappointed. Max preferred to read manga and play video games on his own most of the time. He just felt as if he should be treated more like an adult, and wanted to be included in things like this.

"So, tomorrow I'll let you all know at what time you guys can come over and all that." Jace concluded, once the dispute with Max was done.

Alec was pretty excited for the party tomorrow. He knew Jace's house pretty well, and enjoyed it when he threw parties. It would be a nice time to celebrate whatever happens after the finals, and talk to everyone and just unwind. When Alec glanced over at Magnus, he gave him a wide smile. Somehow, he just knew this year's football party would be even more fun.

* * *

Friday passed by very slowly for Jace and Jordan. At least, that's what they kept saying in between breaks. It was understandable, since they were really looking forward to beating their opponent, the St. Chester Bulldogs. It was ironic that these two teams were playing against each other for the finals, because the Bulldogs were St. Xavier's rivals. There were posters all over the school saying, '_Tigers vs. Bulldogs! Don't miss the epic finals this Friday!_' in bright and flashy colors. It was guaranteed almost the whole school would go, since it was more of a big deal than most of the games they played.

Right now there were a few minutes before the big game, and Alec and the others were taking their seats up in the bleachers, among the other students and parents. There was a cold breeze, so everyone was wearing fall coats to keep warm. Both teams on the field were talking and walking around, getting ready to play soon.

"This is pretty exciting." Maia said while they were taking their seats. Both her and Clary were wearing their boyfriend's football jackets, which were of course a few sizes too big.

"I agree." Magnus said, glancing at Camille, who nodded her head. "This is the first time Camille and I get to see the football finals at this school. It should be interesting."

"It gets pretty intense." Sebastian explained. "Usually the finals are, actually."

"I'm sure the cheerleaders will be pretty good, too." Simon added.

"Only you would mention that, Simon." Alec said, rolling his eyes.

Simon didn't know what to say, so he just blushed and looked away. Clary laughed at her best friend, saying something Alec didn't catch as she nudged him playfully. Simon smiled to whatever it was she had said.

"Guys! It's starting!" Max said excitedly, bouncing beside his brother. Magnus was sitting on Alec's other side.

For the most part of the game, the group of friends didn't speak much. They were all too into the game to really start a conversation. The only time a sound was made in between them was when the Tigers made a touchdown or just a regular goal, or when there were calls for an unfair penalty.

As Alec was watching both football teams play, all of his attention was stuck on Jace. Sometimes he would glance at Jordan, and sometimes even Jonathan, but he was mostly watching Jace. His best friend was admittedly one of the best players—if not the best—Alec had ever seen. He was able to watch Jace get better and better as they grew up. Alec remembered when they would play football and soccer outside all day when they were much younger. Not much had changed since then—except for the fact that their skill level had gone considerably higher—but their passion and love for their favorite sport never changed since then.

"Our team really is good." Magnus said to Alec, breaking his chain of thoughts. "I mean, look at how fast Jace runs."

Alec's heart fluttered in his chest by the mention of his best friend. "Yeah, he is."

Magnus chuckled. "He's what?"

"He's fast, of course. And a good player." Alec said, realizing what he had just said. He tried not to show his surprised expression.

"Okay, just making sure we're on the same page." Magnus' amused smile never left his face. "I thought you were thinking about something else."

Alec rolled his eyes, and although he was only slightly annoyed, he was much more embarrassed at the moment, and couldn't get rid of the blushing on his cheeks. Sometimes he wondered how such stupid things came out of his mouth. Worst part was that most of the time, he would act stupid around Magnus. And his friend would always tease him afterward.

Eventually, half time came along, and everyone had fifteen minutes to take a break and do whatever. Both football teams were, of course, coming up with new tactics to take the upper hand on the game. Each team was standing close to their coach, near the benches. Alec noticed that Jace and Jordan were standing next to each other, but Jonathan was on the opposite side of the huddle. It was funny how neither of his friends were ever wanting to be close to Clary's brother when they weren't playing.

"Max, do you have to go to the bathroom before half time is over?" Alec asked his little brother, knowing that he would probably wait until the game started again to ask to go.

"Sure," he nodded.

Both brothers started to head towards the bathroom in the school. Clary and Maia decided to tag along, too. As they passed by the football field, Alec had a much better view of the players, and even Isabelle and the rest of the cheerleaders. His sister wasn't looking his way—she was too busy talking to her teammates—but Jace just so happened to look over in their direction. He smiled and nodded his head in greeting. Alec smiled back, and from the corner of his eye he saw Clary do the same.

It didn't take long for the four of them to go to the bathroom. When they got back to their seats, there were about five minutes left. Magnus, Camille, Simon and Sebastian were all talking to each other, to pass the time. By the time they had taken their seats and had settled themselves back to the way it was before, half time was over. The rest of the game was now starting.

The last half of the game was always the most intense. Alec figured that out after watching football for years of his life. He spotted Jace, Jordan and Jonathan doing everything two times as intense—running faster and dodging more often. The score was 17-15 for the Tigers, which was why the atmosphere was all tense. The crowd was getting more and more excited as the end of the game was drawing nearer. The players looked just as tense, too. It was obvious none of them wanted to lose.

However, the last few minutes were the most memorable. The score hadn't changed much—they were both very close in terms of points. Jace had the football, and he was running as fast as his legs could carry him. He dodged the many players trying to grab for him, always so close to getting him. A few seconds were left, and Alec was counting them down under his breath, switching his gaze from the time on the board and Jace running for the touchdown. And at the last second, he made it. He made the touchdown, throwing the ball on the ground just as the crowd went wild. Everyone stood up from their seats, cheering as loudly as they could. Alec spotted the rest of the team running towards Jace to barrel him with hugs. The other team, however, looked disappointed that they had lost.

The cheerleaders for the Tigers were going wild, too. They were jumping up and down, yelling just as loud as the rest. When the football players were done patting Jace on the back, some of the players went over to the cheerleaders—who were of course, their girlfriends—to hug them out of pure excitement. Jace, Jordan, and Jonathan even ran over to the stands, waiting for their girlfriends to run down to give them hugs. When Alec saw Clary and Jace kissing, he would usually feel a pang of jealousy, but he was actually too happy to feel that way. He was too busy watching Simon run down the stands to greet Isabelle at the bottom. They both hugged tightly, and Alec shook his head. He decided to turn to Sebastian, Camille and Magnus instead.

"Looks like they won after all, huh?" Sebastian asked, not at all looking surprised.

"Of course," Alec smiled. "Jace and Jordan both did great."

"We should go congratulate them, shouldn't we?" Magnus said, nodding over in Jace and Jordan's direction. Everyone seemed to agree on the that.

For the next dozen minutes, everyone was congratulating the Tigers. Even the Bulldogs walked up to them to congratulate them. When Alec finally had a chance to talk to Jace, the two best friends gave each other a manly hug. He told him how proud he was of his best friend for winning the finals, and Jace gave him a bright smile in return.

Now the only thing left was the party.

* * *

After dropping Max off at their house, Alec was now driving to Jace's house for the party. Isabelle was in the car with him, as well as Simon, because he didn't have a ride. The two friends were sitting in the back seat, talking about the football game and other things. Alec was pretty much quiet the whole ride there.

Jace's house finally came into view after about five minutes of driving. Alec had been there a million times, so he knew his best friend's house just as well as his own. It was basically his second home. The familiar white and gray house was fairly big—about as big as Alec's, because Jace's parents were also lawyers. It was a nice house, with big windows and beautiful flowers decorated all along the front and sides of the house. The backyard was just as nice, with a big in-ground pool and gazebo, as well as more flowers.

Alec parked in the big driveway, and Isabelle and Simon got out, followed by Alec soon after. There were other cars parked in the driveway, indicating that some people had already arrived. Among those cars Alec spotted Magnus'. He wondered how Magnus got here without getting lost—since he'd never been to Jace's house before—but he just remembered that Sebastian had offered to go along with him and Camille to show them the way.

When Alec rung the doorbell, the door opened and revealed Jace, smiling at his friends happily.

"Hey, guys," he greeted. "Come on in."

The three stepped inside, and Jace closed the door behind them. The inside of Jace's house was just as nice as it was outside. Every room in the house had a modern look to it, and everything was kept pretty tidy. Alec knew that Jace liked things organized and clean, which was an odd trait for a teenage boy. In fact, Jace's room was mostly white, except for his football trophies, medals and posters. It was pretty bland, but Alec guessed Jace liked it that way.

It didn't take long for Alec to find Magnus and the others. Magnus stuck out like a sore thumb with his black glittery and colorful hair. Not to mention he was probably one of the tallest people at the party. Magnus was with Camille, Sebastian, Maia, Jordan and Clary. The sparkly teenager eventually saw Alec, and motioned him over. Alec had to weave his way through the crowd of people to reach his friends. He knew Isabelle and Simon were following behind him, but Jace was staying close to the entrance, waiting for more people to come.

"Hey," Alec greeted. "When did you guys get here?"

"About ten minutes ago." Sebastian answered, having to raise his voice a bit. The dance music was loud and pounding in Alec's ears.

"So, now that we're all here, why don't we start dancing? Everyone else is!" Maia exclaimed, and she was right. People were either dancing or standing by the snack table, talking with drinks in their hands.

Almost immediately, the friends started to dance together. Alec never really liked to dance, and neither did Simon, so they stood there awkwardly as the others looked completely comfortable dancing. Eventually, when all the guests had arrived, Jace had joined them, dancing beside Clary.

"Come on, you guys look stupid standing there like posts." Isabelle said, glancing at Simon and her brother.

"We don't dance." Simon replied for the both of them.

"Bullshit." Magnus said. "Everyone can dance."

"Maybe so, but I suck at it." Alec said, and Simon nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, I'll just teach you, then." Magnus smirked, but Alec immediately shook his head.

"No, thanks." he said. "I'll just go get a drink."

Before anyone could say anything, Alec quickly walked over to the food table. He heard Simon following behind him, and Isabelle told him he better get something for her, too. As much as Alec enjoyed hanging out with his friends, dancing was something he wanted to avoid. What was wrong with just talking and hanging out? According to Isabelle and Magnus, there was a lot wrong with that.

After a few minutes of Alec standing there with a drink in his hand, Magnus decided to walk over to him. Alec gave him a small smile and looked down at the many snacks on the table, not wanting to look at his friend.

"Dancing sure does make you thirsty." Magnus commented, grabbing his own drink and nearly chugging it down. "But it sure is worth it."

"I'm not dancing." Alec said.

"Why not? I feel bad for you, standing here all by yourself." Magnus explained. "At least Simon is trying to dance now."

Alec glanced over at his sister and Simon. He wouldn't say he was necessarily dancing; he was basically bouncing on the balls of his feet, but he supposed it was a start.

"Then I guess I'll just be a loner here." Alec shrugged. "I don't really like dancing."

"Dance with me. I'll make it super fun." Magnus suggested, winking at him.

"N-no thanks." Alec had to decline again, but this time his face flushed. Why did Magnus have to be so... flirty? No, that wasn't the right word to describe him. In fact, there wasn't really a word to describe him at all.

"Are you sure? I'm telling you, it'll be fun if you do." Magnus insisted, but Alec kept shaking his head. "Fine, if you insist. You'll just miss out on all the fun." he shrugged, and then walked back to the others to dance.

Alec let out a small sigh and turned back to the table, taking a refill. He was pretty thirsty ever since he started eating the pretzels he found at the end of the table. As he kept drinking the fruit punch, he glanced around the room. The music was still blasting loudly, and nearly everyone was dancing at this point. At least Alec wasn't the _only _one just standing around. He spotted a few people here and there talking in small groups.

After about a dozen minutes of drinking more fruit punch, he finally had to go to the bathroom. He knew he would have to go eventually, and he was glad to be able to escape Magnus' gaze, asking him to come join them. Alec shook his head at him once more, and then decided to head upstairs to a more quiet area, so he could go to the bathroom. Besides, he was pretty sure he spotted some people heading to the bathroom on this floor a few minutes ago.

Alec walked up the stairs, throwing out his empty plastic cup in the garbage on the way. He knew exactly where the bathroom was, as it took him no problem to find it. After Alec went to the bathroom, he washed his hands and looked at himself in the mirror. There were small bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and his black hair looked like a mess, as always. His hair seemed to be getting long as well, but Alec didn't really mind.

Slowly, Alec exited the bathroom, walking down the hallway and looking around lazily. Of course, since he wasn't paying attention, he didn't realize there was someone else walking in the opposite direction. It was too late, as he bumped into said person. Naturally, it was Magnus.

"Sorry," Alec apologized, scratching the back of his head. "I wasn't paying attention."

"No problem, sweetheart." Magnus smiled.

"Um... what are you doing up here?"

"Going to the bathroom, of course." he replied.

"But, isn't the bathroom downstairs free by now?" Alec said curiously.

"No, it's occupied. A couple was making out in there. Didn't even notice me when I opened the door." Magnus replied, shaking his head.

"I see," Alec wrinkled his noise in disgust. There was always that couple who would always make out wherever they went.

"Anyway, I'm guessing the bathroom up here is free?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah, I just went."

"Good, good." Magnus was still looking straight at Alec, not making any signs of actually heading to the bathroom. "Hey, are you finally going to dance with us? I think you drank enough to last you for a week."

"I don't know, Magnus. I already told you that I don't like—"

"I know, I know. You don't like dancing! Must you be so complicated?" Magnus asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"How am I complicated?" Alec said, having no idea what his friend was talking about.

"Oh, please. Do you know how many times I tried to get you to dance with me? But every time I ask, you always refuse." Magnus explained.

"Y-you... want to dance with _me_?" Alec tried to hide the shock in his voice, but he failed to do so.

"Yes," Magnus nodded. "But you're just so damn stubborn, aren't you?" He suddenly stepped closer to Alec, looking at him questioningly.

"Our family's been know to be stubborn." he replied nervously, not feeling comfortable by how close his friend was.

Magnus chuckled softly. "I know, but I won't let that stop me."

"O-okay," Alec stuttered, feeling his heart beating faster and faster. Why was Magnus so close? And why was it making him so damn nervous?

Suddenly, Magnus placed his hands on the sides of Alec's face, his green-yellow eyes gleaming. With a smirk, he said, "It's definitely not going to stop me from doing this." And all so suddenly, he kissed him.

Alec was completely caught off guard. His body went rigid, and his eyes were wide open in shock. But after a few seconds, he relaxed, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Magnus' waist to pull him closer. He couldn't believe what he was doing, but all he knew was that he didn't want to stop. The softness of Magnus' lips on his was enough to make him melt in his arms. Without even knowing, Alec was backed up against the wall, and the kiss was more urgent, more passionate. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec's neck, parting his lips slightly. With Alec's mind completely in a whirl, he parted his lips too, letting their tongues explore. It was probably the best feeling ever, especially with Magnus' body pressed up against Alec's.

Eventually, the two parted to catch their breath, both breathing heavily, still so close that they could feel their warm breaths.

"I've always wanted to do that." Magnus said breathlessly, smiling widely.

"Since the first day you met me?" Alec asked, his blue eyes filled with excitement.

Magnus chuckled, his eyes filled with the same excitement. "Yes,"

Alec slowly unwrapped his arms from Magnus' waist, gently pushing him back so he could get some space, while Magnus reluctantly unwrapped his arms from Alec's neck. Staring at him right in the eyes, Alec said, "Well, I should probably head downstairs. And you should... go to the bathroom."

"Don't want people to be too suspicious, huh? You've been up here long enough." Magnus grinned.

"Yeah," Alec looked down on the hardwood floor, feeling his cheeks flush. "I've been up here for a while."

"Hey," Magnus said suddenly, and Alec looked back up at him. "Are you going to dance with us once I come back downstairs?"

"I'm starting to think that you're the stubborn one." Alec said with a shy smile. "But I suppose I could."

"Great," Magnus said happily. With that said, he started to head to the bathroom.

Alec let out a happy sigh, turning around and heading downstairs. What had just happened a few moments ago was still quite a shock for him, and he couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. In fact, as he was heading down the stairs, the only thing going through his mind was how soft Magnus' lips were, the way his body was pressed against his, and that he smelled like sandalwood.

Alec started to blush again, thinking about his friend. When he had thought that this would be a fun night, he never even expected it to be quite like this.

* * *

Being very much in a daze, Alec once again bumped into someone as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He was about to apologize, until he realized that he the person he had bumped into was Jonathan. Instead, he took on a surprised look, his voice failing him.

"Alec," Clary's brother said in a cool voice. "Daydreaming, I see?"

"N-no," he argued. "I just... wasn't looking, that's all."

Jonathan just shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"Um... what brings you here?" Alec asked suddenly.

"I'm in the football team." he replied in an annoyed voice. Clearly he wasn't amused with Alec.

"No, I meant, what are you doing _here_. Standing at the foot of the steps." Alec said with a bit more clarity and detail. Jonathan seemed to have understood now.

"I have to go to the bathroom. The one down here is already in use." he answered, still sounding unamused.

"Oh," Alec silently cursed those two people making out in the bathroom. They sure were in there for a long time now. "Well anyway, congratulations on winning the finals. You were very good."

"Thank you," Jonathan said, although he didn't sound very happy when he said it. Probably because he was talking to Alec, someone he didn't really like.

"Where's you girlfriend?" Alec asked, looking around and wondering where she could be.

"She's here, just dancing with her friends. Why?" Jonathan sounded a little suspicious.

"I didn't see her here, so I was just wondering." Alec shrugged, looking away from Clary's brother.

"I see," he nodded. "You know, Natasha told me that she saw you and Camille at the restaurant she works at a few weeks ago. Apparently you two were on a date?"

"Yeah, we were." Alec said slowly.

"Are you two dating? Because I've barely seen you two dancing or talking this whole evening." Jonathan asked.

"No, we're not dating. Just friends, that's all." Alec replied, starting to feel very awkward.

"Oh? It didn't work out?"

"Well, sort of. We just felt more comfortable being friends." Alec really didn't want to go through this whole thing again.

"Hm... well, I'm sorry about that." Jonathan said, although he didn't really sound sorry.

"It's fine," he replied.

"Alright, I supposed I should be going now." Clary's brother said, looking up at the stairs.

"Okay, but let me just tell you that there's already someone up there." Alec informed him.

"I can wait." he said, and without another word he passed by Alec to walk upstairs.

Clearing his head, Alec decided to find his friends again, hoping he could get his mind off of Magnus. Although that was pretty impossible, since his sparkly friend came back downstairs about a minute later, joining Alec and the others to dance. With some reluctance, Alec danced along with everyone else. It was pretty awkward for him. First of all, because he danced just as badly as Simon, and secondly, because Magnus was dancing right next to him. For nearly the whole time, Alec was glancing around at his friends, wondering if they were suspicious of him. But they didn't seem to make any signs of being so; they were just having a good time.

Even worse, Alec didn't know what to say to Magnus anymore. The kiss they both shared was probably the best thing Alec had every experienced, but he had never thought of what was to happen afterward. He wanted to talk to Magnus about it, but right now wasn't the time. They were in a room full of people, dancing and laughing and talking. Alec didn't want to start anything. He didn't want to risk anything just yet. But when he and Magnus would be alone, how would Alec deal with that? Maybe he would get all nervous and awkward and not be able to talk to Magnus anymore. Maybe this whole thing ruined their friendship.

Alec shook his head, telling himself that he should stop thinking that way. He was clearly exaggerating—everything between him and Magnus was still just fine—so there was nothing to worry about. Besides, the whole time he and Magnus were dancing with the rest of their friends, they couldn't stop staring and grinning at each other. So obviously, there was nothing wrong. It was just Alec who had those doubts.

When the party finally came to an end, Jace was standing at the door, telling everyone goodbye as they left his house. When Alec had finally convinced Isabelle to stop dancing, they—along with Simon—got out of the house, saying goodbye to Jace on the way out. Magnus was also leaving with Camille and Sebastian, and met up with Alec in the driveway. The two exchanged a few words, but it was enough to see that Alec felt a bit more awkward with his friend. His heart wouldn't stop beating fast, and he couldn't help but blush.

When Alec had dropped off Simon, Isabelle went over to the passenger's seat, obviously wanting to start a conversation with her brother. Alec didn't really mind, actually. He had been bored and quiet when Simon had been in his car.

"So," Isabelle started, looking over at her brother. "How did you like the party?"

"It was fun." Alec said simply, keeping his eyes on the road. "I see you enjoyed yourself, too."

"Well, of course. Parties are always fun." Isabelle replied, and then a grin formed on her face. "The best part was that you actually danced for a bit."

"Yeah, well, all it took was a little convincing." Alec shrugged.

"A _little_ convincing? More like a shit load." Isabelle said, rolling her eyes. "How were you even convinced anyway?"

"Well... Magnus managed to convince me. He just asked me a million times, so I finally said yes." Alec explained, starting to feel all nervous again.

"And how exactly did he convince you? By kissing you or something?" Isabelle asked, obviously meaning it as a joke. But that caused Alec to blush like crazy. He felt his whole face heating up by the memory.

"N-no..." he said, although his voice said otherwise. Isabelle immediately noticed.

"Wait, so you two actually kissed?" Isabelle asked in dismay. When Alec didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the road, and still blushing, that caused his sister to squeal. "Oh my God! You guys kissed! This is amazing! I mean, you were up there long enough, and Magnus had gone up there, so it makes perfect sense—"

"Izzy, I get it." Alec interrupted, glancing over at her for just a second. "Was anyone else suspicious, though? That I was up there for a while, I mean."

"No, not really. I didn't even put the puzzle pieces together until now. Besides, everyone was so into their dancing that no one really noticed." Isabelle replied, still sounding extremely excited. "But seriously, you two actually kissed! I knew this would happen one day. The sexual tension was _so _obvious!"

"What sexual tension?" Alec asked in shock. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Never mind that." Isabelle waved her hand in dismissal. "This is probably the best night of your life, isn't it?"

"Well... it sure was special." Alec said slowly, his heart beating faster.

"I'll bet. And on top of that, it's was your first kiss. That makes it even _more _special."

"Yeah..." Alec agreed quietly.

There was a small pause, before Isabelle said, "So, is Magnus a good kisser?"

"Izzy..."

"Seriously, I want to know! Please?"

Alec let out a small sigh. "Extremely good."

"I just knew it." Isabelle smiled. "So, tell me. Was it a full on make-out session? Like, tongue and everything?"

"_Izzy_!" Alec exclaimed, his face turning bright red yet again.

"Damn," Isabelle smirked. "I didn't know you were capable of that, bro."

"Shut up," Alec said, punching his sister playfully, which caused her to laugh.

"I wish I could ask you more questions, but I bet you wouldn't answer them." Isabelle said.

"Not if they're inappropriate questions."

"My questions are _not_ inappropriate." she argued. "I'm just excited. It's a big thing, having your first kiss."

"You seem a lot more excited than me right now." Alec said with a small smile.

"Aren't you happy?" Isabelle asked.

"Of course I am." Alec replied quickly. "To be honest, kissing Magnus was probably the best feeling ever. But... I just have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Like... how things will turn out between us. I'm just a bit worried."

"You shouldn't be worried. Everything will be fine." Isabelle replied, placing a hand on her brother's arm in a comforting gesture. Alec was only a bit reassured, though. He still had all those thoughts going through his head. No matter what his sister would say, it wouldn't help the fact that deep down, he was still worried.

Alec didn't realize how late it was until they got home. It was past midnight, almost one. Naturally, Max and his parents were already asleep. He remembered telling his parents that he and Isabelle would be back at around this time, so he knew he wouldn't get in trouble. They probably went to bed at around ten o'clock, since they had to wake up early for work tomorrow. Max usually fell asleep at around that time on the weekends, too.

Both siblings had to be quiet as they walked around the house. Although all they really had to do was get ready for bed, so they weren't really making much noise. Alec and Isabelle didn't say much to each other either, just as quick good night when they retired to their bedrooms. And when Alec finally lay down on his bed, he hadn't realized how exhausted he was. Not just physically exhausted, but mentally as well.

Having time to himself, in a dark and quiet room, made it much more easy for Alec to think about everything that had happened during the party. The more time he spent thinking about what would happen between him and Magnus, the more worried he would get. Not to mention it was just draining his energy, and lying in a comfortable bed was not helping him stay awake.

Very reluctantly, Alec closed his eyes, slowly falling into a deep sleep, leaving all of his doubts and worries behind, and instead falling asleep with the thought of his very first kiss with Magnus. And he wasn't afraid to admit that this was not the first time he fell asleep thinking about his sparkly and irresistible friend.

**I sure hope you all liked this chapter! I hope the kiss was okay, too. I don't really write kiss scenes very much, so it was a little hard. But hopefully it's bearable! :P Also, I totally invented the name of the rival school, so if your school has the same name, it's totally coincidental. Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to update the next chapter a lot more quickly. I won't make any promises, though. I do have projects to work on during the holidays, too, so that's kind of a bummer. But oh well, I guess that's what happens in high school, huh? Well, there's not much else to say, so... please review! I really enjoy them. Bye! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the long delay, everyone! Exams are coming up real soon, so school has kept me pretty busy. I won't waste any more time with my boring explanations, so I'll just let you all read chapter twelve. Enjoy! :D **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. This is FanFiction, after all.**

Chapter Twelve

Now that the football season was officially over, it was now Alec and Sebastian's time to shine. Although soccer wasn't as big as football, it was still a popular sport among the students. The finals were taking place at their school, just like for the football finals, so a lot more people would come watch them.

It was now the beginning of November, so it was getting colder and colder outside. During practice, Alec and Sebastian would get a little cold, but as soon as they covered themselves up a bit and started running around, their bodies started to heat up again. It wasn't really that bad, considering it wasn't even snowing yet either.

Since it was the end of the football season, things were slowly getting back to normal, too. Jace and Jordan were no longer talking about football all the time—which made their girlfriends pretty relieved, no doubt—so that meant that they concentrated more on other things now. Jace was paying more attention to Alec, trying to figure out if he was gay or not. He really wasn't lying when he said he would be watching him. Alec would always find himself telling Jace to stop trying.

However, it was much harder to lie in front of his best friend now. He couldn't just flat-out tell him that he wasn't gay anymore without stuttering the words or blushing. That was because he kept thinking about him and Magnus during that party. Why did he have to kiss him? Not that he didn't _enjoy _it, but it was just harder for Alec to keep his cool around his friends. It wasn't helping that Magnus seemed totally unaffected by all of this. Besides, it's not like Magnus had anything to worry about anyway. He wasn't hiding his sexuality like Alec was.

Sometimes when Alec was alone in his room, and he had time to think, all of his thoughts and worries would come all at once like a giant wave, overwhelming him. There were way too many things going on through his head, which naturally caused Alec to stress out. The kiss, Jace, Jonathan's threat to Magnus way back at the beginning of the school year, Camille, and even Natasha were all things that kept Alec worried. He couldn't concentrate on his homework when he was thinking like this. His head was a mess, and was starting to think that maybe this would start to affect his soccer skills during the big game.

Alec was doing his homework in his room right now, after he had come back from soccer practice. He was having a hard time concentrating, but he was trying his best anyway. He was caught by surprise when he heard someone come in his room, and he looked up to see Isabelle standing there at the doorway.

"Izzy, you scared me." he said.

"I knocked three times, and you wouldn't answer me. How did I scare you?" she asked curiously.

"Didn't hear you, I guess." Alec shrugged, looking back down at his homework.

His sister suddenly walked up towards him, sitting down on the other chair at his desk. She stared at him seriously before glancing down at his homework, a frown forming on her face.

"Are you feeling alright?" Isabelle asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you're doing math homework, and you wrote Abraham Lincoln as one of your answers." she explained, pointing at the name on his lined paper. "I'm pretty sure the sixteenth president of the United States has nothing to do with the equation."

Alec stared at his paper with a hard expression, and once he realized what he had written, he let out an annoyed sigh and erased his answer vigorously with his eraser. He then placed his head in his hands afterward, feeling stupid.

"Alec, something's obviously on your mind." Isabelle said slowly, placing a hand on her brother's back.

"Not just one thing." he answered, his voice muffled. "I have too much on my mind."

"Like what?"

Slowly, Alec looked up at his sister, straightening himself up, causing Isabelle to slide her hand away from him. He shook his head, saying, "They're not your problems."

"What do you mean, they're not my problems? Of course they are, you're my _brother_, for heaven's sake. If there's something wrong, you should tell me." she replied, looking at her brother seriously once more.

Alec sighed, looking sideways. "Everything is wrong. Jace is on constant watch over me, Jonathan is still a threat to Magnus for all we know, and Camille and I aren't on the best terms right now."

"Camille? What happened?" Isabelle asked her brother, surprise written all over her face.

"She just... thinks that I'm getting too close to Magnus. We argued about it one day." Alec shook his head. "I'm afraid she'll be watching me, too."

"So you're worried that people are going to figure out that you and Magnus kissed?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"No one will find out, Alec. I'm the only one who knows, and I promise you I won't tell anyone." Isabelle reassured him.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Alec shrugged. "But what if I slip out? Like, I accidentally tell Jace or another one of our friends while we're having a conversation."

Isabelle let out a small sigh. She scooted closer to her brother, looking at him seriously. "That's not going to happen. Stop stressing yourself out over those things. It's not going to do you any good."

Alec ran a hand through his thick black hair. He looked exhausted, making him seem older than he was. At this point, he didn't know what to think anymore. Alec couldn't even function properly anymore. At least, his brain wasn't functioning like it used to. Now it was full of worries and unnecessary fears of scenarios that _might_ happen. If Alec kept this up, he was sure he would go into a mental breakdown.

"Look, Alec," Isabelle started, since her brother clearly wasn't going to say anything. "Why don't you give your homework a break? Maybe I could do it for you."

Alec's eyes widened. "You would do my homework? Do you even understand?"

"Well, no, probably not." she replied, glancing down at the confusing questions on his paper. In all honesty, it looked like gibberish to her. "But you should at least take a break. Read a book, or go outside. Something to get your mind off things."

Alec took on a thoughtful look, considering his sister's idea. She was right. Taking a break from homework, which was definitely making things worse for him, seemed like a logical idea. Maybe if he did something relaxing, he could get his thoughts straight. It was worth a shot, anyway.

"You know what, you're right." he said. "I think I know exactly where I'm going." He stood up.

Isabelle did the same, looking at her brother curiously. "Where?"

Alec smiled. "My favorite hangout."

* * *

It was pretty cold outside. The wind was strong and cold, nearly numbing Alec's face as he walked down the sidewalk towards Java Jones. The coffee shop was probably his favorite hangout, along with all his other friends. Usually, they would all go together as a group to just relax and unwind, but obviously Alec didn't want to be with anyone at the moment. He had his hands in his jacket pockets the whole walk there, since he forgot to wear gloves. It only took about fifteen minutes for Alec to arrive at his destination, though.

As soon as he got in, the warmth and smell of the shop immediately comforted Alec. He loved the smell of coffee mixed with sugary treats, which gave a sort of home feeling to it. To make it even more comforting and relaxing, the shop was decorated with comfortable couches and chairs, along with cute little tables. The whole place was basked in a dim light, instead of those annoying fluorescent lights. Paintings of dark and calm landscapes decorated the light brown walls, as well.

Alec immediately took his place in line, and when his turn came, he ordered a simple black coffee, with a bit of milk and sugar, just the way he liked it. Afterward, he quickly found a seat by the windows, and Alec sat down, setting his coffee on the table to let it cool down a bit.

As he shrugged off his jacket, Alec reached inside one of the pockets, taking out a small notebook and pen and placing it beside his coffee. After placing his jacket on the back of the chair, he turned around to take a sip of his coffee, which was still pretty hot, and opened his notebook to the first page. With his right hand, he grabbed the pen and stared at the blank page before him.

Alec wasn't sure what he was going to write, exactly. He just thought it was a good idea to bring something to occupy himself with. He had his cellphone with him, of course, but he wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone. This was a moment for himself; to escape all his troubles for a bit. But as Alec stared down at the blank page, all of those thoughts came rushing back. Setting the coffee cup down, he started to write a list of all the things that were troubling him.

After a few moments, when Alec had written down everything that was going through his mind, he immediately realized it wasn't as much as he thought it was. Most of the things he wrote were names of people: Jace, Camille, Jonathan, Natasha, Magnus... Beside those names, he wrote the reason why each of those people were going through his mind. Jace, because he was constantly watching him. Camille, because she was proving to be a threat to him. Jonathan, because he was a threat to Magnus. Natasha, because she was Jonathan's girlfriend and made him feel uneasy about his personal space. And Magnus, because of that kiss.

Alec looked down at the word _kiss_ he had written. It was darker than the other words; probably because he had nearly dented a hole through the page writing it. Just staring at that word gave him a clear vision of that faithful evening at the party with Magnus. Even though it had happened quite a few days ago, Alec could remember exactly what had happened. He could practically _feel_ Magnus kissing him when he thought about it, which of course caused Alec to blush like crazy. He looked around the shop, hoping no one was looking in his direction, and stared back down at his paper.

What was he going to tell Magnus? The two of them were still friends as they were before, but that was what the problem was. They were still _just friends_. Of course, since Magnus had probably kissed who knows how many other guys and girls, this one he shared with Alec probably didn't mean anything to him. But Alec didn't want to think that. The kiss was real. It had compassion. It was obvious they both enjoyed it, but was that really it? The physical attraction had been there. Was there any emotional attraction at all? As Alec pondered on that for a while, he told himself that yes, he did feel more than just physical attraction towards Magnus when they had kissed. In fact, that attraction—or sexual tension, as Isabelle had put it—had been there way before. At least, that's how Alec felt. Magnus was a little harder to understand.

As Alec's mind kept wandering, he was thinking back when Camille had told him that Magnus was a complicated person when it came to relationships. Maybe she had been right, after all. Not that he and Magnus were dating, but their friendship had not changed since the kiss. There was also the fact that Camille kept insisting that he and Alec shouldn't get too close. Was this what Camille was talking about? Maybe she was trying to warn Alec, saying that Magnus didn't take relationships seriously. But Magnus and Camille had gone out for two years, so Camille was probably being overprotective towards her best friend. Magnus _had _told Alec that she was the jealous type.

Since he was so deep in thought, Alec hardly noticed someone calling his name. He looked up from the small table and saw Magnus and Camille near the entrance of the shop. Magnus was smiling and waving, while Camille just gave him a small smile—which, incidentally, wasn't very sincere. Alec waved back, and as he saw them walking towards him, he quickly closed his notebook and, along with the pen, put it back in his jacket pocket.

"Alec, fancy meeting you here." Magnus said with a sly grin. Camille was completely quiet.

"Yeah," he nodded, taking a sip from his coffee, which was starting to become cold. "What brings you two here?"

"We just heard that this place was pretty good, so Camille and I decided to check it out." Magnus explained. "What brings _you _here?"

Alec shrugged. "Just wanted to take a break from my homework."

Magnus' smile grew wider. Alec opened his mouth to say something, but he decided against it and closed it shut. Instead, he took another sip from his coffee again, averting his eyes from his two friends.

"I'll go get us something to eat." the sparkly student said, which was directed at Camille. "I hope you don't mind, Alec, if we sit here?"

"No, that's fine." he replied, waving his hand lazily. Although his mind was screaming that it was not okay. At all.

It only took about five minutes for Magnus to order his and Camille's coffees, but even that small amount of time with Camille made it super awkward for Alec. He would circle the rim of his cup, drink from it, check his phone, and repeat that process over and over. Camille didn't look awkward at all. In fact, she looked almost angry, texting on her cellphone. It made Alec even more uneasy.

"So, Alec," Magnus said, finally taking a seat after setting the coffee cups down. He had to take a chair from another table, since the table Alec was sitting at only had two seats. "Are you excited for the soccer finals?"

"Yeah, I guess I am." he replied with a small shrug. "But I'm a little nervous, too."

"You shouldn't be. You're a great soccer player. In fact, the whole team is, so you'll be fine." Magnus reassured, glancing over at Camille for approval. All she did was nod her head.

"Thanks," Alec said, glancing down at his coffee cup embarrassingly. Of course, Magnus had to compliment him. The only result that would give was a small blush on Alec's cheeks.

At that point, Alec wasn't really paying attention anymore. Magnus was pretty much doing all the talking, and soon enough Camille started to join in, too. Alec would only add in a few words now and then or glance out the window. However, he found it a good opportunity to get a closer look at Magnus, when neither he nor Camille were paying attention to him.

He started at Magnus' hands, where long and slender fingers wrapped around his coffee cup. Alec's eyes slowly skimmed up his arms, which were lightly muscled. Even though Magnus was a long and lean guy, he still had broad shoulders, followed by a nice and long neck. Staring at Magnus' face, Alec could see that it was very angular, with high cheekbones and a nice nose. Not to mention curvy lips and nicely shaped eyes to make his face even more perfect. Magnus' crazy black and red-dyed hair really made his green-yellow eyes pop, too. Alec would have trailed his eyes to the lower half of his body, but he didn't want to cause any suspicion. Besides, he would probably be blushing just by staring, so that would be a dead giveaway.

"Don't you agree, Alec?" Magnus' voice snapped him back to reality. Alec looked over at his friend and Camille with wide eyes.

"What? What did you say?" he asked confusingly.

"I was just saying how great the Art Club is contributing to the school play coming up before the holidays." Magnus explained. "You know, with all the props and decorating we've been assigned."

"Oh, yeah," Alec nodded. "I've seen a few decorations. They look great."

"Good answer." Magnus said with a grin, showing his pearly white teeth.

Alec smiled back, and couldn't help but notice how nice Magnus' smile was. He wasn't sure if he preferred his smile over Jace's, which also consisted of a perfect set of white teeth.

And right then, Alec had come to a decision. He couldn't keep living this way; wondering if he and Magnus were just going to be friends, or if there was a possibility that they could start a relationship. If he could figure out his dilemma with Magnus, it would make one less problem to worry about. So that basically meant less stress for Alec, and more happiness. That sounded pretty good to Alec. Best part was, he knew exactly when he would question Magnus.

* * *

For the rest of the week, Alec and the rest of the soccer team were pretty much busy practicing and practicing for the finals at the end of the week. It was pretty much the only thing on any of their minds, except for Alec, of course, who had many more things running around in his head. Although Alec had to admit he was pretty excited. He even felt ready for the finals, despite his stress and constant worrying.

Alec's plan about Magnus was pretty simple. After the soccer finals, he would get Magnus alone and finally ask him about their friendship, and if there could be more than that. How he would get them alone, he wasn't really sure. But Alec was sure he could figure something out in the spur of the moment.

Right now it was Thursday evening, and the Lightwoods were having diner at the kitchen table. Somehow, their conversation had led to Alec's soccer game tomorrow at the school.

"Alec, good news." Maryse said, looking over at her son. "Your dad and I will be able to make it to your soccer finals tomorrow."

"Really?" Alec said, surprise clear in his voice. He glanced at Isabelle and Max, who looked just as surprised.

"Yes," Robert nodded, giving him what passed as a smile. It was obvious Alec's dad didn't do a lot of smiling. "It's also a good opportunity for us to meet Camille and Magnus, too."

As soon as his father mentioned his two friends, Alec's smile quickly faded. He tried to hide his shock and distaste, but he felt Isabelle kick his leg from under the table. He glanced at his sister quickly, who had a worried look on her face. Max didn't say a word.

"What is it?" Maryse seemed to have noticed the strange exchange of looks going on between Isabelle and Alec. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Alec said quickly, looking back at his parents. "There's no problem at all. I'm just surprised that you two can make it to my game tomorrow."

"I see," Robert said slowly, glancing at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I suppose that's understandable. And you don't mind that we're there, right?"

"No, of course not. I want you guys there." Alec replied reassuringly. Both of his parents nodded and smiled.

Of course, Alec didn't exactly want his parents at his game tomorrow. It was great that they so happened to be free tomorrow during the finals, and deep down Alec really appreciated what his parents were doing. He knew they had good intentions of watching him play, and of course they had to take the opportunity to meet Alec's new friends. A few weeks ago, Alec wouldn't have minded at all. Back then he only thought that he and Magnus were just friends, and nothing more. Not to mention Camille was a bit less angry at him a few weeks back, too.

Alec glanced back at his sister, who was looking at him with an odd look on her face. He wasn't really sure what was going on through Isabelle's mind right now, but he figured she was at least thinking the same thing he was thinking. Since Isabelle was the only one who knew about the kiss, and she knew very well that Alec was terrible at lying, she also knew he could be in danger. Because Alec sure as hell didn't want his parents to figure out he was gay right away. Not now; not when he wasn't even sure what was going on between him and Magnus. And especially not now, when Jace was on constant watch over him, and Alec had no clue what to think about his best friend right now.

* * *

The evening air made it even more cold outside by the time everyone had taken their seats on the bleachers. Alec and the other soccer players were standing all together, wearing jackets over their soccer uniforms as failed attempts to keep warm. The coach was giving all of them last minute pointers and words of encouragement, but Alec wasn't really paying attention. He was looking over at the bleachers, where he spotted all of his friends sitting together, and his parents sitting a little farther off. He still dreaded the thought of his parents meeting Magnus and Camille.

"Alec," Sebastian's voice brought him back to reality. "Did you hear what the coach said?"

"Huh? No, sorry." Alec shrugged, feeling his face flush out of embarrassment.

Sebastian looked at him with a hard look, but all he said was, "Not a big deal. He just explained our strategy over again from yesterday. Just do what you always do and you should be fine."

"Got it." Alec nodded, and soon enough everyone was running over to take their positions. The game was about to start soon.

As soon as the game started, Alec immediately felt the adrenaline rush he usually felt when playing soccer. It was a feeling he couldn't really describe. When he played his favorite sport, he felt like he could do anything; like there wasn't a care in the world, and everything in life was perfect. Even if he knew he had troubles going on in his life, Alec forgot all about them when he played soccer.

After playing for a bit, Alec was sitting on the bench, taking a small break and drinking cold water from his water bottle, despite the cold weather. He felt warm all over, probably because he was sweating and breathing a little heavily.

To keep his mind on the game, and away from the crowd, Alec switched his gaze to Sebastian. He was still playing on the field, making passes and trying his best to keep the ball on their side. Their opponents were pretty good, and Alec didn't expect them to be this tough. For a second he thought maybe they could lose, since his team wasn't too far ahead in points, but the football team had won with only a few points more than their opponent's. Clearly Alec and the others still had a shot.

Even later on in the game, when both Alec and Sebastian were on the field, things were getting a lot more heated. The points were pretty well-balanced, and a lot of the players looked nervous, since at this point it could be either team who won. Some players were being more tough and aggressive, since the points were so close. Alec noticed that behavior on both teams.

Alec had now passed the ball to Sebastian, who expertly stopped it and started running to the opponent's goal. A few players were at his tail, but Sebastian kept running faster, determined to at least get a wide enough space to pass it to another player or even make a goal.

However, one of the players had caught up to Sebastian, and he shouldered him hard enough to make Sebastian trip over the soccer ball and fall awkwardly on the grass. He cried out in pain, immediately clutching his ankle and curling up into a ball. The referee blew the whistle, and everyone stopped to look over at Sebastian. Alec, along with the coach and a few other players, ran over towards him. The guy who had accidentally tripped Sebastian was nice enough to kneel beside him.

"Sebastian, are you okay? What happened to your ankle?" Alec asked, the first player to reach him.

"I heard a snap. I think I broke something..." Sebastian said, clenching his teeth together to prevent more pained noises to come out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to hurt you like that." the player on the other team apologized, worry written all over his face.

Before anything else could be said, Alec and Sebastian's coach had finally reached them, and he knelt beside the injured player. Other players had made it too, and were standing above Sebastian with wide eyes.

"What happened here?" the coach asked.

"Seb thinks he broke a bone in his ankle. He heard a snap." Alec replied.

"Can you try standing for me, buddy?" the coach said, looking down at Sebastian with a concerned expression.

Sebastian tried to stand up, but he moaned in pain when his foot made contact with the ground. Alec immediately reached out for Sebastian so he wouldn't fall.

"Alec, get Sebastian to the bench. We'll take a look at that ankle." the coach ordered. Alec nodded, wrapping an arm around Sebastian, so his injured friend could lean on him and wrap an arm around his shoulder. Slowly and cautiously, they both made their way to the bench, with Sebastian hopping on one leg and swearing the whole way there.

When Sebastian was sitting down on the bench, the coach gently took off his cleat and sock, revealing a bruised and swollen ankle. He put pressure on it, which caused Sebastian to flinch and groan in pain. One little movement immediately caused Sebastian discomfort. Alec looked at his friend worryingly, knowing that he was in serious pain.

"You definitely broke something. You probably fell awkwardly on your foot, which caused too much pressure on your bones, crushing them." the coach explained, looking up at Sebastian, whose face showed he was clearly not happy about that.

"So now I can't play." he said, obviously disappointment.

"I'm afraid not. Unless you want to break more bones." the coach said, looking just as saddened. "You'll have to sit this one out."

Sebastian let out a small sigh. "It had to be on the finals."

"Better than the game before. Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to play in the finals at all." Alec reassured him. Sebastian didn't seem to feel better.

After the referee had decided that Sebastian needed medical attention, and sent him off inside the school building with a medic, the game started up again. Alec was put up on the field, to take Sebastian's place. Very quickly, he glanced over at the bleachers, and saw that his friends looked very worried. Alec wanted to go over and tell them that everything was fine, but he obviously wasn't allowed to do so.

The game was almost over by now. Alec was trying to keep his mind off of Sebastian. He knew he was going to be okay, but he was just a little worried for his friend. He also felt sorry for him. But as soon as Alec's mind wandered on that, he pushed those thoughts away. He had to concentrate on the game, and make sure he didn't get hurt either.

Despite the small let down by Sebastian's incident, things were getting better as the game was coming to an end. Alec's team was still ahead in points, as they were for the most part of the game. Alec was starting to feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and the excitement as he pumped his legs, willing himself to go faster and faster. He knew there wasn't much time left until the referee blew the final whistle, and Alec wanted to make the last few minutes count. If Sebastian couldn't be here to see the end, he would try twice as hard for the both of them.

Alec had passed the ball to one of his teammates, and he then started to run to one side of the net, making sure he was open to get the ball once more. His teammate managed to weave his way through their opponents, keeping the ball with him the whole way through. He then passed the ball back to Alec, who quickly caught it with his foot and kicked it with all his might towards the goal. The goalie had to throw himself on the other side of the net if he wanted a chance to catch the ball, put he missed it by only a few inches, the ball sailing right above his hands. As the goalie fell sideways on the grass, the ball hit the net behind him, making the goal, and causing Alec and the other players, as well as most of the crowd, to cheer loudly. Alec could barely hear the referee blow the whistle as all of his teammates ran towards him and engulfed him in a giant group hug.

The next few minutes passed by in a blur. All Alec could hear was loud cheering and words of acknowledgment. He could feel his teammates patting him on the back. Alec was thrilled, a giant smile plastered on his face the whole time as he thanked everyone who approached him, saying congratulations.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alec spotted Sebastian near the bench, his whole foot and ankle wrapped up and bandaged. He was on crutches, and how he managed to get them, he wasn't sure. Alec didn't think about it as he ran over to his friend, who looked really happy despite his injury.

"Sebastian, why are you here? I thought you had left for the hospital or something." Alec said, not sounding disappointed at all.

"I managed to convince the medics to let me stay and watch the last few minutes. I borrowed the crutches from the infirmary inside the school, so I should be good for the time being." Sebastian explained, his smile not leaving his face. "You were great out there, by the way. Excellent goal."

"Thanks, Seb." Alec said, feeling nothing put happiness rise in his chest. "I'm glad you were able to stay."

The two friends were able to talk for a little bit longer before the rest of Alec's friends and family arrived to congratulate them. Jordan was the first one to ask if Sebastian was okay, and the injured soccer player quickly explained what had happened, saying he would be just fine. Jace was the first to congratulate Alec, which made him really happy. He couldn't get rid of the thoughts of being alone with Magnus, however, as he glanced over at his sparkly friend, who was smiling and congratulating him as well.

Before Alec could change his mind, he went over to Magnus and said in a low voice, "Can I talk to you?"

Magnus looked surprised, but didn't protest. "Shoot."

"Um... I mean, in private." Alec added slowly.

"In private?" Magnus' eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Alec shook his head. "Can you just sneak over inside the school building? I'll meet you up in there in a second."

"Sure," Magnus nodded, and without hesitation, he sneakily made his way to the school, making sure no one was paying attention. It wasn't that hard, though, since everyone was paying attention to the school's victory.

Alec glanced over at the bleachers, and he spotted his parents and Max walking towards him and the others. Not wanting to keep Magnus waiting, he went over to Jace and shook his shoulder firmly, which caused his best friend to look a little startled.

"I'm going to the bathroom. Can you tell my parents I'll be right back?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure. No problem." Jace nodded, not looking as if he wanted to question further.

Before anything else could be said, Alec jogged over to the school building, entering through some double doors and looking around the empty hallways. He wondered where Magnus could be, since he didn't specify where to meet. He knew there would be a few janitors and maybe other teachers, but most of the people were outside, so he wasn't afraid of running into anyone along the way.

Alec walked down the first hallway, deciding to make his way to the closest bathroom, hoping Magnus would be there. When he saw there was no one in the men's bathroom, Alec exited through the door he came from, and stopped short when he saw Magnus standing right there in front of him. He had his arm extended, as if he was about to open the door.

"Magnus, there you are." Alec said, shock all over his face.

"I was wondering when you'd be coming. I took a little stroll around the school, and decided to check the bathrooms to see if you were there." Magnus explained. "Looks like I got lucky."

"Yeah, I was about to go looking for you too." Alec said, a smile creeping up on his face. He stepped out of the bathroom, and both he and Magnus stepped off to the side.

"So, what's up? What did you want to talk about?" Magnus started, placing his hands on his hips.

"Right," Alec nodded. "I wanted to talk about what happened at the party."

"The party?" Magnus asked. After a few seconds, a grin formed on his face. "Oh, you mean the kiss. Why, you want to do it again?"

Alec blushed furiously, nearly sputtering out his words. "N-no... I mean, I don't know." he said, taking a deep breath. "Look, I just wanted to make something clear."

"Make what clear?" Magnus looked concerned.

"About _us_." Alec said, and when the words came out of his mouth, it started to make him nervous.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Alec took another deep breath. "Okay, listen. Ever since we kissed at that party, I've been really confused. It's like nothing has changed ever since. Like we were still just friends." Alec averted his gaze to the floor. "In my head, I thought something was going to happen between us, because I... I don't know. A kiss usually means something _more _than just a kiss, right?"

"Are you asking me if I kiss people for fun?" Magnus asked curiously. "To be honest, maybe I have done that a few times, but most of the time it's genuine."

"Well, yeah, but it's not like you did anything about it after." Alec said slowly.

"_You_ didn't do anything, either." Magnus pointed out, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"I know." Alec said. "But can you blame me? I've never actually kissed anyone."

Magnus chuckled softly. "I know. That was made pretty obvious during the party."

"What?" Alec blushed furiously.

"I'm kidding! You really weren't that bad." Magnus' smile never left his face. "But you _were _a little sloppy."

"Okay, are you done making fun of me?"

"Lighten up, sweetheart."

"I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you." Alec said, crossing his arms.

"Alright, alright. I get it. So you're confused about our relationship, right?" Magnus said, going back to business. Although he still had a small smile on his face.

"Yes," Alec nodded.

"Right," Magnus said slowly. "So, let me ask you a question. What did the kiss mean to you?"

"What did it mean to me?" Alec repeated, and when his friend nodded, he cleared his throat. "Well, it was... I mean, I enjoyed the kiss. I felt like there was more than just physical attraction, you know? I don't want to go all sappy on you, but..."

"But what?" Magnus looked amused

"It, uh, felt right."

Magnus laughed, tipping his head back a little. Alec's face flushed, and he looked away in embarrassment. Of course Magnus was laughing at him. It sounded super sappy coming out of Alec's mouth, and he regretted even saying it.

"You're laughing at me again." he said glumly.

"No, that's not it." Magnus chuckled. "I find it cute."

"And when you find something cute, you laugh hysterically?" Alec asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you're exaggerating." Magnus smiled. "But I'm glad you enjoyed it. Because it would have been pretty awkward if it was just me."

"What about you? What did you feel when you kissed me?" Alec asked.

"About the same thing as you. I just don't want to sound so sappy."

"_Funny_."

Magnus smiled at him once more, and Alec couldn't help but admire his perfect white teeth once more. He really did have a nice smile, and Alec hoped Magnus would do that a lot around him. Now the last question remained, and Alec was hoping everything would go well. Considering Magnus enjoyed their kiss, and felt the same way Alec did, he was pretty confident that Magnus would answer with what he wanted.

"So, one last question." Alec said.

"Shoot."

"What exactly is our relationship status right now?"

Magnus smirked, and took a step closer to Alec, so close that he could detect his signature scent, sandalwood, and feel his hot breath tickling his face.

"What do you think?" And once again, Magnus kissed him.

The kiss was slow and gentle at first. Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus' neck, and Magnus had his arms around Alec's waist, so they both pulled each other closer, their bodies pressed together. Magnus ran his hands up and down Alec's back, sending shivers down his spine. Magnus' lips were still very soft, and he hadn't realized how much he missed them when they were kissing like this. Wanting to feel even more of him, Alec ran his fingers through Magnus' hair, and was surprised by how soft it was. When they parted their lips, Magnus expertly slid his hands up Alec's shirt, cold fingers brushing his hot and sweaty back. That caused Alec to gasp against Magnus' lips, and the sparkly student chuckled and pulled away, their arms still wrapped around each other.

"Much better." Magnus said teasingly, and they both chuckled.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Alec asked.

"What question?" Magnus said lazily, which caused Alec to give him a look. "Oh, right, _that_ question. I thought I made it pretty clear, though. You know, with the kiss and everything."

"Right," Alec rolled his eyes. "I suppose you're right. So... I guess we're kind of dating or what?"

"Do you want to?" Magnus raised one eyebrow.

"Yes," Alec said quickly. "Yeah, I do."

"Then I guess we are." Magnus said with a shrug, smiling widely.

There was a moment of silence, both Alec and Magnus looking at each other. So it was official now. They were dating. Alec couldn't really believe it, and he wondered for a moment if he was dreaming. But that kiss was way too real to be a dream. It just seemed so unreal that Alec was dating someone as gorgeous as Magnus.

"Well, I guess we should head back." Alec said, and they both slowly pulled away. "I'm not sure how long we've been in here, but maybe someone has noticed we're both gone."

Magnus gave him a sly smile. He didn't seem like he was in a hurry, and that if anyone was suspecting them taking too long, he didn't care. But Alec was a little worried about his parents. Or any of his friends that didn't know he was gay. Which was pretty much everyone besides Camille. And even now he wasn't sure if they were still friends.

"What's the rush?" he asked in a low voice, and before Alec could protest, Magnus trapped him in another kiss, his hands sneaking up behind his neck to pull him closer.

Alec immediately let his guard down, letting the taste of Magnus' lips intoxicate him. Alec wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, and didn't even notice the sound of footsteps coming in their direction, stopping abruptly a few feet away from them. The person was obviously surprised, but Alec didn't even notice them until his name was said aloud.

"Alec?"

**I feel so bad, uploading a week late and then leaving you all on a cliffhanger. But it had to be done. The chapter was reaching its usual length, so I had to kind of stop it there. But hey, at least you all got a Malec kiss! Two, actually! But yeah, I'd also like to add that Sebastian's little injury was based on when my dad broke his ankle playing soccer. I wasn't sure whether to give Alec or Sebastian that injury, but I decided on the latter since it worked better that way. Poor little Seb had to get hurt, but these things happen, right? :P What else... oh yes! Since exams are literally a few days away, I'll be pretty busy studying and doing last-minute projects. I don't think I'll be able to work on my chapter very much, so the update will be late yet again. The good news is, next Thursday (so, the 24****th****) exams will be done and I'll have a four-day weekend, so I'll have plenty of time to work on my chapter then! Alright? Please review and tell me what you all thought! Bye :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, I know it's been a while that I've updated. But for some unknown reason I got stuck at one scene, and it took me a while to get it right. Or at least, as good as it could get. So, anyway, I'll let you all read the chapter. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. I never have and I never will.**

Chapter Thirteen

"_Alec_?"

The familiar voice caused Alec to push Magnus away, and he glanced over at the source, spotting his sister standing a few feet away, a surprised look on her face. She had her mouth hanging open, but she didn't look upset by the sight. In fact, her eyes brightened mischievously, and she smirked.

"Well, well," she said. "Looks like I interrupted something important."

"Yes, you did." Magnus said, placing his hands on his hips. "Your brother and I were in the middle of a hot make-out session."

"_Magnus_!" Alec said, his face heating up.

Both his sister and Magnus laughed, which caused Alec to roll his eyes. Even though Magnus was supposedly on his side now, he never seemed to miss a chance to make fun of him; especially when someone else was there to help make fun of Alec.

"So, why did you come here anyway?" Alec asked once the laughter died down.

"Mom and dad wanted me to get you. Everyone's leaving soon, so they wanted to make sure you were coming." Isabelle answered, turning all serious.

"Is anyone suspicious?" Alec said, starting to get a little worried.

"No, just impatient." Isabelle replied, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Alec, you're fine."

"Okay," he sighed, and then turned to Magnus. "We should leave from different doors. Just in case."

"You don't want anyone to know about us yet?" Magnus asked.

"No," Alec shook his head. "Not yet."

Magnus gave him a small smile, and took his hand. "That's fine. Whenever you're ready." he reassured, and the new couple stared at each other for a moment. Alec could do this all day, staring at his gorgeous new boyfriend. However, Isabelle broke the moment with her squealing.

"Aw, you two are so cute together." she said in an almost sing-song voice. "I think I'll just die of cuteness."

"Izzy," Alec sighed annoyingly. "Let's just go, alright?"

After Magnus had parted ways with them, however soon going to meet up with them outside in a moment, Isabelle and Alec were quiet. Alec was unsure of what he should tell his sister. In fact, he felt a little awkward that she had caught them kissing. What if that person could have been Camille? Or Jace? Or even his parents...? Alec shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

"Hey, Alec," Isabelle said suddenly.

"What?"

"Remember when I said Magnus was going to be your future boyfriend?" she smiled widely as she said so. "I was _so _right."

"Good job." he said sarcastically. "Would you like an award for that?"

"Actually, I do." Isabelle said, and both siblings chuckled.

A minute later, Alec and Isabelle joined their friends and family outside on the soccer field. Everyone was still chatting excitedly, and a lot of people had already left. It was even colder than it was a dozen minutes ago.

Alec was about to greet his parents, but stopped short when he saw who they were talking to. Out of all people, they so happened to be talking to Camille.

"Looks like mom and dad were serious when they wanted to meet Camille." Isabelle whispered over to her brother.

Alec made a disgruntled noise in response. Many things were going through his mind right now, and none of them were good thoughts. What had Camille told his parents about him? What had his parents told her? Do they hate Camille? Does she hate them? Do his parents absolutely love Camille, and wished her and Alec would go out? That only caused Alec even more worry, and he shook his head, walking over to his parents.

"Alec, so nice of you to join us." Robert said, once he spotted his son.

"Sorry I took so long." Alec apologized, scratching the back of his head. He really hoped no one would ask him why he took so long.

"That's fine. We were just talking to Camille." Maryse said with a smile while glancing over at Camille, who returned the smile.

"Your parents are so nice, Alec." she said a little too happily, and Alec tried not to give her a suspicious look.

"How nice of you, Camille." Maryse said, that smile not leaving her face. Alec barely saw his mother smile, so seeing her like this was very strange. "You're so sweet."

Just hearing this made Alec want to puke. Camille and sweet did _not_ fit in the same sentence. She must have been pretty convincing talking to his parents if they thought she was anything near nice. Then again, when Alec had first met Camille, she seemed nothing but kind.

"Well, Alec," Robert said, glancing over at his son once more. "Camille tells us she and Magnus have been best friends for a very long time."

"Oh, really?" Alec said, giving Camille a fake smile. She seemed to have noticed, because she raised her eyebrows slightly. "What did she tell you guys, exactly?"

"Not much. Just that they have been inseparable ever since." Maryse replied. "That sounds a lot like you and Jace, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Alec said slowly, although he didn't necessarily agree. Magnus and Camille weren't really inseparable like he and Jace were. But Alec didn't really want to say that out loud.

"Oh, and here comes Magnus." Camille said, looking behind her. She waved him over, and her friend smiled, walking towards them in long strides. Alec started to feel relieved and nervous at the same time. What if he or Magnus said something that could reveal their secret? However, Alec told himself that wasn't going to happen. It couldn't happen _now_.

"Hello," Magnus greeted with a dazzling smile. "You must be Alec's parents."

"Yes, it's nice to finally meet you, Magnus." Robert said, and the two shook hands. Maryse then shook hands with Magnus, telling him it was nice to meet him too. Alec noticed, however, that when his dad was looking at Magnus, he had an astonished look on his face. Probably because his friend—or should he say boyfriend—was all sparkly and colorful.

"It's really good to see that Alec has such nice friends." Maryse commented, and Camille and Magnus exchanged a smile.

_Yeah, friends._ Alec thought, finding it funny how he and Camille barely talked anymore, and that he and Magnus just started dating moments ago.

"Of course, Alec is such a good friend." Magnus said, smiling over at said person. "Quiet, but a good friend nonetheless."

Robert and Maryse both smiled, and they started asking him some questions. At times, they would question Camille, but they had probably covered all the basics with her by now. Alec wasn't really paying attention, glancing around at the other people, and wishing he could just go home. He spotted Isabelle talking with Simon, and would actually rather be with them, even though they probably didn't want to be disturbed. By the way Isabelle trailed her hand down Simon's arm told Alec they were in a private conversation.

Eventually, what seemed like hours later, but was probably only about a dozen more minutes, Alec's parents were done talking with Camille and Magnus. The last thing he had heard was the four saying goodbye to one another, and Alec didn't sound very enthusiastic when he said goodbye to Camille and Magnus. He was too deep in thought and out of it.

After about five more minutes of saying goodbye to everyone else and fetching Isabelle and Max at the same time, the family headed over to the car in the school's parking lot. Alec felt exhaustion hitting him once he sat down in the backseat with his siblings. The seat was very relaxing for his sore and tired muscles, and he couldn't wait to take a hot shower and sleep in his comfortable bed. The ride home wasn't very long, but it didn't take much for Alec to close his eyes and nearly drift off into a light sleep. However, a vibration in his pocket snapped him back to reality, and Alec reached for his phone, and saw that he got a text from Magnus. He smiled.

_Hey darling, how are you feeling?_

Alec frowned a little, then realized that Magnus was probably referring to his behavior outside with his parents and Camille. With a soft sigh, and making sure his sister wasn't looking over at his phone, he typed in his reply.

_Just tired. Kind of exhausted after running around for a while._

_Okay, sure. I saw the distant look in your eyes when Camille and I were talking to your parents. I know what you were thinking. And just letting you know, sweetheart, you don't have to worry._

_How did you know exactly what was going through my head?_

_I guess I just know you more than you think. Expect me to know even more about you from now on ;)_

Alec couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself. _What are you implying?_

_You'll see soon enough :P Anyway, don't worry about your parents or Camille._

_You think Camille is bothering me? _Alec had a feeling Magnus might have known that, too. He just wanted to know exactly why, though.

_Of course. I know Camille doesn't really like you anymore, and I know it bothers you. Not because you want to be her friend, but because she's a threat to you. And she should. She can be pretty nasty._

_I had that vibe about her. That she's capable of acting like a total bitch sometimes. She already has on occasion._

_Not really surprised. But hey, enough depressing talk. You should be proud about tonight!_

_Haha, I guess I should. I'm glad I finally get to relax, though. As soon as I get home I'm taking a shower and going to bed._

_Shower? Nice visual ;)_

Alec blushed furiously at the text, but hoped no one noticed. He almost forgot how flirtatious Magnus could be. Even over text it was just as effective. But now that Alec thought about it, now that Magnus was his boyfriend, the flirting would probably be even more frequent and more intense. At least, when they were alone.

_Good to know you're a pervert :P_

_Oh please, that's not even the worst thing I've thought about you. But anyway, I should let you go enjoy your shower and whatnot. Wouldn't wanna interrupt!_

_Haha, okay. Talk to you tomorrow._

_Looking forward to it, darling :)_

Alec smiled at the last text Magnus sent him. For some reason, he couldn't get rid of that silly little grin plastered on his face. Despite his other worries, he was actually happy for once. He didn't feel stressed, miserable or annoyed. Now that Magnus was his boyfriend, things were a whole lot better. And he hoped he felt this way for a very long time.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Alec and Magnus started secretly going out. Only Isabelle—and about a week ago, Max—knew about their relationship. Alec still wasn't ready to tell his friends about it, and he definitely wasn't near ready to tell his parents, either. Besides, their relationship was going along just fine as it was, so Alec didn't want to change anything so soon.

It was now a Saturday morning, and Alec was having breakfast with his siblings at the kitchen table. Very often, Magnus would text him or talk to him almost all day during the weekends, and even after school during the week. Even though they saw each other five days a week, it didn't seem to be enough for the two. Isabelle thought it was absolutely adorable. At the moment, Magnus had been texting him about a science test coming up next week.

After Alec had replied to a text, set his cell down, and took a bite from his bacon, Isabelle said, "You two can't seem to stop talking, huh?"

"For the record, we're talking about something important. We've got a biology test coming up." Alec replied matter-of-factly, looking down at his buzzing phone and picking it up immediately.

"But you're so freakishly good at science, why are you so worked up about a test?" his sister asked.

"Biology has a lot of memorizing and stuff. It's a lot to learn." Alec pointed out.

"Well, I just hate science completely. I totally hate myself for picking chemistry this year." Isabelle said glumly, picking at her scrambled eggs.

"What are you talking about? Science is easy!" Max exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, it's easier in junior high, isn't it? And let's face it, you and Alec are better at science and math than I am." Isabelle admitted. "Right, Alec?"

Said person was too busy texting away on his cellphone, that he didn't even hear his sister's voice. Both Isabelle and Max exchanged an amused look, thinking it was funny that Alec was way too engulfed replying to Magnus' texts to even hear what his siblings were saying.

"Alec, can you stop texting for one minute?" Isabelle asked, swiping his cellphone out of his hands.

"Hey, give that back!" Alec said, extending his arm out and easily getting his phone back.

"What are you hiding?" she asked teasingly.

"Nothing! Just don't grab my stuff out of the blue." Alec huffed, and stared at the small screen, reading Magnus' text. "He actually just invited me to his house so we could study for the science test."

"Right, _studying_." Isabelle said, making air quotes to emphasize the word. "We all know what that means, don't we?"

Alec kicked her leg under the table. "Shut up, we actually _will_ study. Don't pretend I'm you."

"Now what exactly do you mean by that?" his sister asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Remember this one time when you said you were going to the library to study? You _never _go to the library. Turns out you had just sneaked over to your boyfriend's house to make out with him. Who was that guy anyway? Meliorn?" Alec said, a sly smile creeping up on his face.

"Don't even bring him up. He was a total jerk." Isabelle said, pointing an accusing finger at her brother.

"Yeah, I didn't like him." Max agreed.

"I know, me neither." Alec shook his head. "Wasn't your best choice, Iz."

"I get it, I get it. He was way too into himself, and I was stupid for even going out with him. To be honest, his only good trait was being a great kisser." Isabelle sighed. "Anyway, going back to your study date, _Alec_."

Alec chuckled softly, and without saying another word to his siblings, he started replying to Magnus' text. On the inside, he was thrilled that Magnus had invited him over to his house. He had never been over, and was a little curious about what his home would look like. He was also a little worried, however, of meeting Magnus' aunt and uncle. Maybe they wouldn't even be home, but still. He didn't want them to know that he and Magnus were dating, either. Besides, they were just going to study.

As Alec kept thinking about that, he was slowly realizing that he was wrong. They weren't just going to study, and he knew it. That wasn't the kind of guy Magnus was. For the two weeks they were dating, they had kissed a lot. A couple of times, after school, they would find a private spot around the building and kiss. Of course, they would make sure no one was around before doing so. Maybe inviting Alec over was another excuse to get him alone and make out. Or maybe Magnus was actually serious and just wanted to study. After all, they were both serious about the test.

"So, what did you tell him?" Isabelle asked, snapping Alec out of his train of thoughts.

"What do you mean, what did I tell him? I just replied saying it was a good idea." Alec said slowly.

"Of course it was a good idea. You're going to Magnus' _house_. I wonder where he lives. Or what his house looks like. I bet his room is totally in style." Isabelle went on and on, which caused Max and Alec to exchange a weird look.

"Not creepy at all, Izzy." Alec said, rolling his eyes. "We're just studying."

"We've been through this already. _Just studying_ is code for making out and possibly other things." Isabelle stated, a wide smile on her face.

"Gross," Max said, sticking his tongue out in disgust. Isabelle started to laugh, and Alec grinned, shaking his head from side to side.

"I'm with you on that one, Max." he agreed.

* * *

While Alec was driving to Magnus', he started to feel a little nervous. It wasn't that he and Magnus would probably be alone the whole afternoon, it was that he would possibly meet his aunt and uncle. And why he was so nervous, he wasn't very sure. Meeting someone's parents or guardians wasn't a big deal. It's not like Alec had to confess to Magnus' aunt and uncle that they were going out. In fact, all he had to do was introduce himself and that was that.

Alec glanced down at the small piece of paper on dashboard. It had Magnus' address on it, and turns out his house wasn't that far away. It was about a five to ten minute drive at the most. In almost no time, Alec got on to Magnus' street, and he only had to drive a few houses down to spot it. Magnus' house was made out of red bricks, with white doors and big windows. When Alec parked in the driveway, he noticed two cars, one of them being Magnus'. That meant either his aunt or uncle had to be home too.

Taking his time, Alec got out of the car, grabbing his school bag on the way out. He left the piece of paper on the dashboard, figuring he didn't need it anymore. Making sure all the doors were locked, he made his way to the front steps of Magnus' house. Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell.

A few seconds later the door opened, revealing a smiling Magnus. He was wearing sweatpants along with a simple purple v-neck. He only had a bit of sparkles in his hair, and the purple dye in his hair was the same as it was a few days ago. Alec smiled, not feeling too out of place compared to his usual baggy jeans and gray sweater.

"Hey, Alec. Come on in." Magnus greeted, gesturing for him to come inside.

Alec glanced around the house as he stepped inside. It had a very cozy atmosphere, with the calming colors and darker furniture. It kind of gave off the impression of living near a forest, in a quiet area, instead of living in a neighborhood where the hustle and bustle of the city was just a few minutes away. Alec found it pretty nice.

"Nice house." he commented, glancing back at Magnus, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Thanks," Magnus said as he closed the door behind them.

Before anything else could be said, the sound of footsteps were heard coming in their direction, and soon enough, a man appeared at the entrance—Magnus' uncle. He realized that his uncle looked nothing like Magnus at all. He seemed to be a little shorter than Magnus, and had blond hair and blue eyes, a big contrast to his nephew. He also wasn't long and lean like Magnus, but had an average build instead. Alec figured that he was his uncle by marriage, and that Magnus' aunt was either related to his mother or father.

"Hello," Magnus' uncle greeted, a smile forming on his face. "You must be Alec. Magnus told me you were coming over today."

"It's very nice to meet you, sir." Alec said, and they both shook hands.

"Please, call me Scott." Magnus' uncle said with a chuckle. Alec nodded his head, returning a smile. "I'm guessing you two will just do some studying in Magnus' room?"

"That was the plan." Magnus said, and then turned to Alec. "I'll take your coat for you, Alec."

"Thanks," he said, setting his bag on the floor so he could shrug off his coat. Since it was late November, it had gotten very cold. It had even started to snow a few days ago, making it even colder.

"Alright, have fun studying." Scott said, after Alec had taken off his boots and grabbed his bag.

"Will do, Scott." Magnus smiled, and with that said, the sparkly student motioned for Alec to follow him.

After going up the stairs and walking down a hallway, Magnus stopped in front of the last door on the right. The door was closed, and Magnus opened it, letting Alec go in first.

"This is my room." Magnus said, spreading an arm out and closing the door with the other one. "Make yourself comfortable."

Alec had remembered when Isabelle thought Magnus' room would be totally in style. She wasn't that far off, really. Magnus' room was much more interesting than his own. The walls were painted a bright purple, and the bed matched with its purple and black bedspreads. A desk with a rolling chair was placed in the corner of a wall, close to the bed, and on it was a laptop and other accessories that Alec didn't want to start naming. A wardrobe and two drawers were placed in the room as well, with even more junk on them. A few bookshelves crammed with books were added as well, making the room look complete. Clothes were scattered on the floor, making the room look like an explosion of colors.

"Take a seat." Magnus instructed, motioning over to the rolling chair at the desk. Alec did as instructed, bringing the seat closer to the bed, where Magnus had decided to sit. Alec meant to glance out the window and look at the view outside, but the curtains were drawn.

"We should get started." Alec said, reaching into his bag and taking out his binder. He crossed his legs on the rolling chair, opening the binder and looking through the notes.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to nail this test." Magnus said, grabbing his own binder and looking through his notes as well. "I know everything about the human body."

"I think we're supposed to know what's on the _inside_ of the human body, not the outside." Alec pointed out with a grin.

"I'm pretty sure knowing the outside is just as important. And for the record, I know the inside too." Magnus said matter-of-factly, causing Alec to laugh.

"Whatever you say. Let's start with the reproductive system—"

"No need, I already got that one covered." Magnus interrupted.

"I'm sure you do." Alec said, hiding the blush on his cheeks by looking back down at his notes. "Fine, let's start with the digestive system instead."

"Okay, good idea. Not as familiar with that one." Magnus said, chuckling a little.

"I'm sure you're not." Alec said, and couldn't help but laugh himself. He then flipped through his notes, stopping at the digestive system. "Alright, let's get started..."

* * *

Alec didn't know how long he and Magnus had studied, but it felt like a long time. He had gotten to Magnus' house at around one, and now it was almost five. Alec couldn't really believe they had studied for almost five hours. He almost never studied that much in one go before. But at least now they knew they were ready, and they had gone over all of their biology notes.

"Man, I think we've gone over our notes enough times to memorize them all." Magnus said, laying down on his bed, looking truly tired of studying. "I'm not touching my binder for the rest of the weekend."

"Yeah, me neither. I haven't studied this long before." Alec agreed. "I'm pretty sure we're going to pass this test."

"We better." Magnus chuckled, and slowly sat back up on his bed. "I think we both deserve a break from biology, don't you think?"

Alec set his binder aside, stretching his legs and arms on the chair. "I'll say." He then closed his eyes and tipped his head back, probably able to fall asleep like this. He could hear Magnus moving around on his bed.

"Alec," Magnus said, which caused Alec to open his eyes and bring his head back up. Suddenly Magnus was standing over him, and very slowly, he leaned down to Alec's eye level, lowering his voice and saying, "I think we should go over the outside of the human body now."

Alec's face flushed, and his words caught in his mouth, unable to speak. Before he could even utter a single word, Magnus trapped him in a kiss, nearly making the chair fall over. Feeling uncomfortable on the chair, Alec forced them to stand up, with his arms wrapped around Magnus' neck. Magnus pulled away, a wide smile on his face.

"Sorry, I almost made us fall." he apologized, although he didn't necessarily sound apologetic.

"That's fine," Alec chuckled, and he pressed his lips against Magnus' once more.

For the two weeks that they had been dating, all of their kisses had started off soft and gentle. Maybe that was because they were at school, being careful to not get caught. Maybe because Alec was being overly cautious all the time, and didn't want to take things too far. Now that they were in Magnus' room, and unable to be interrupted—unless his uncle decided to randomly walk in, of course—it was different this time. The kiss had started off a lot more urgent, as if any moment the opportunity would slip away. Alec's hands stuck firmly in Magnus' hair, not wanting to let go, and Magnus had a firm grip around his waist, pulling him closer. As if that wasn't enough, Magnus pushed them both on his bed behind them, Alec on the bottom.

"Oops," Magnus said teasingly, strands of hair falling over his eyes. "Looks like I slipped."

"Right," Alec chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Excuses, excuses."

"Hey, it's working, isn't it?" Magnus asked, his eyes almost shining like a cat's.

"Maybe," Alec breathed, his heart beating a mile a minute. Magnus only smiled, and leaned down to close the space in between them once more.

Kissing Magnus like this was very different from all the other times. Usually Alec could pull away at any moment. But now, being trapped underneath Magnus made it impossible. And somehow, Alec didn't really mind, because he didn't want this moment to end. The feel of Magnus' soft lips against his, the warmth of his body, and the way he always faintly smelled of sandalwood were all things that Alec couldn't resist.

Alec's thoughts were all interrupted when Magnus trailed his lips down his jaw, and slowly down his neck, leaving trails of kisses as he went. The feeling made Alec's heart flutter, and a soft moan escaped his lips. He could feel Magnus chuckling against the sensitive flesh of his skin, and it sent shivers down his spine. Alec then ran his hands down Magnus' chest and stomach, stopping at the hem of his shirt. Very slowly, he lifted the shirt up, just enough to slip his hands underneath and run his fingers along Magnus' stomach, feeling hard muscle underneath. Ever since he saw Magnus shirtless in gym class, he had always been curious what touching him would feel like, and now he knew that it gave his hands a tingly sensation. Magnus reacted with a shiver.

"Stop teasing," Magnus said, looking straight at Alec.

"I'm teasing?" Alec raised his eyebrows. "Speak for yourself."

Magnus gave a small chuckle, and then brushed his lips on Alec's ear, whispering, "I'll show you teasing."

The two started to kiss again, but their moment was cut short by a soft knocking on the door. "Magnus?" the voice on the other side of the door, who was clearly female, called out.

Alec and Magnus both stopped what they were doing and looked over at the bedroom door. Alec held his breath, and the only thing he could hear was his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Magnus didn't seem as worried; he was much better at keeping his calm.

"Coming," he said loudly, and quickly jumped off the bed, motioning for Alec to do the same. Still in a daze, he managed to do as instructed. He also managed to straighten himself up before Magnus opened the door, revealing the woman behind it.

The woman at the door was no doubt Magnus' aunt. She, unlike Scott, resembled Magnus in some way. She was tall and slim, with tanned skin, brown eyes and long black hair, which was put up in a ponytail at the moment. She wore a nice smile as she glanced over at Alec and her nephew.

"I don't want to interrupt your studying, but I would just like to know if Alec was staying for dinner? It's going to be ready in a half hour." Magnus' aunt said.

"I'd love to stay for supper, thank you." Alec nodded, figuring his parents would say yes. They always did.

"Great," she said, her smile widening. She then took out her hand. "By the way, it's very nice to meet you Alec. Call me Lynn."

They both shook hands, and Alec said, "It's very nice to meet you, Lynn."

"Well, I'll call you guys when dinner is ready." Lynn said, and when the two boys nodded, she closed the door behind her. A few seconds before it closed, a small and fluffy white cat with gray stripes dashed inside.

"Chairman Meow, where have you been?" Magnus asked, scooping up the little cat in his arms and scratching him in between the ears. The little fur-ball responded with loud purrs.

"This is your cat?" Alec asked, walking up to Magnus curiously. "He's so tiny."

"Yeah, he's only two years old." Magnus replied, looking up at his boyfriend. "And he gets startled by everything."

Smiling, Alec started to pet Chairman Meow, who started to purr even louder. Alec had to admit that the cat looked pretty adorable. He had always been a cat person, and was especially fond of kittens.

"I think he likes you." Magnus said, chuckling a little as Chairman Meow started to rub his head against Alec's hand. "Usually he doesn't warm up to strangers."

"I'm not necessarily a stranger, am I?" Alec asked, a smile creeping up on his face.

"Well, to him you're a stranger." Magnus laughed once more. "But of course, you're no stranger to me."

There was a comfortable silence in between the two as they kept on petting Chairman Meow, until a sudden question popped up in Alec's head. He wanted to bring up the subject before he forgot.

"You kind of resemble your aunt, Magnus. I'm guessing she was your mom or dad's sister?" Alec asked.

"Yeah, my mom was her eldest sister." Magnus nodded. "They came from a Dutch and Indonesian family, which explains why my aunt and I resemble each other."

"I've always wondered where your family came from." Alec said. "You don't necessarily look like you're from here."

Magnus laughed. "Well, my dad is American, and I was born in America. But I suppose you're right, I don't look like I'm from here." He then smirked. "But I still look pretty damn fabulous."

"There's no denying that." Alec smiled back.

"You know, we were interrupted from our little moment earlier." Magnus said slowly. "Don't you think we ought to continue?"

"I think so." Alec said shyly, remembering exactly what had happened a few moments ago.

Magnus set Chairman Meow on the floor, and the small cat made its way over to Alec, purring loudly and rubbing his head against his leg. Alec let out a small chuckle, and bent down to pet the adorable kitten.

"The point of not holding you anymore was to cuddle with my boyfriend." Magnus said to Chairman Meow. "_Not _to get my boyfriend to cuddle with you."

The white and gray cat responded with a loud meow of protest, which caused Alec to laugh even more. Magnus let out a frustrated sigh, but he clearly wasn't being serious. His eyes were dancing with amusement otherwise.

"You, my friend," he said, pointing at his cat, "are truly evil."

* * *

Magnus' aunt had been right when she said dinner would be ready in a half hour. Alec had been busy petting Chairman Meow, who seemed to be loving the attention. But when the small cat was tired of being pet, and clearly wanted to get out of the room, Magnus and Alec went back to what they were doing before. However, their kissing only lasted two minutes before Lynn called them down for supper. Magnus had been mumbling to himself how evil his cat was, while Alec just laughed.

Alec had also called his parents a few minutes before, asking if he could stay over at Magnus' house. They said yes, just as Alec suspected, but he knew that his parents appreciated it when he let them know where he was and took the time to ask.

Once in the kitchen, Alec and Magnus took their seats beside each other. Scott had already taken his respective seat, while Lynn was setting the table. Alec could feel his heart hammering in his chest out of nervousness. He would always feel like this when he ate supper at someone else's house for the first time. It was just an unfortunate trait that came with his personality.

"Did you two do a lot of studying up there?" Scott asked, once Lynn finally sat down.

"Yup," Magnus nodded. "Enough studying for the weekend."

"I would think so." Lynn agreed, eating some of the potatoes on her plate. "How long have you two been studying? Five hours?"

"Almost," Alec said, smiling shyly. "It felt longer than that, though."

"And this is for a science test, right?" Lynn asked curiously.

"Biology," Alec and Magnus said in unison. They exchanged a smile.

"Ah, Biology. Lynn absolutely loves that subject. Knows all about it." Scott said, smiling at his wife.

"My aunt is a nurse." Magnus explained. "She has a degree in Biology and everything."

"It is my favorite subject." Lynn agreed. "Why do you think Magnus is so good in science? He's living with two people who absolutely love it."

"Physics is my thing." Scott explained to Alec. "I teach it at a university in Brooklyn."

"So that's why Magnus gets the top grades in science, huh?" Alec said, glancing at Magnus. Everyone laughed.

"I'll have you know, I get good grades without Scott or Lynn's help." Magnus reassured everyone with a smile. "I happen to be very smart."

"Well, what's your favorite subject, Alec?" Scott asked, completely ignoring Magnus' last comment.

"It's hard to decide, but I really enjoy math and science. English is a close second." Alec replied.

"Interesting," Scott smiled, looking pleased. "Play any sports?"

"Yeah, I play soccer. It's my favorite sport." Alec nodded.

"Very nice," Scott said. "I used to play some baseball in my day. You could say I was pretty good."

"Oh yes," Lynn said, rolling her eyes. "We all know you enjoy your baseball."

"What?" Magnus' uncle asked. "I can't talk about sports?"

"Once you start talking about it, you don't stop. You'll scare Alec away." Magnus said, which caused his aunt to laugh. Alec couldn't help but smile.

"Okay, okay. I get it." Scott put his hands up in surrender. "I'll stop. It's not like we would want the spotlight on me. Alec is our guest here, after all."

Alec couldn't help but flush as he said that. This is exactly what made him all embarrassed and flustered: attention. He was flattered that Scott and Lynn were being so nice and polite to him—and he really liked them, too—but he couldn't help being nervous when someone put the spotlight on him. Isabelle, on the other hand, would love having everyone's attention.

"Thanks," Alec said sheepishly.

As the four kept on eating supper, Magnus' aunt and uncle kept on asking him questions about pretty much anything. They asked him about soccer, what classes he had this semester, what he was going to have next semester, and so on. They even asked him a little bit about his family; if he had any siblings, pets, and what his parents did. Alec wasn't as shy as he thought he was going to be. He answered all of their questions confidently, and felt calmer than he usually would have been. Alec noted that it was probably because Magnus was sitting right next to him, sometimes adding in on his answers and giving him smiles, as if to reassure him. And it sure was working.

Suddenly, Alec felt something rub up against his leg. He glanced at Magnus, thinking it was him. However, when Magnus didn't make any sign of recognition, he peered under the table, spotting Chairman Meow at his feet. The fluffy cat was purring loudly, rubbing his head against Alec's leg. He then meowed, clearly wanting to be pet.

"Chairman Meow?" Lynn said, looking under the table. She then let out a laugh, and looked up at Alec. "This cat really does seem to like you."

"I think so." Alec agreed. "He always seems to be near me."

Magnus glared down at Chairman Meow, clearly not as amused as everyone else was. Alec couldn't help but smile at his boyfriend's reaction.

"You stupid cat." he said under his breath, gently nudging the white and gray feline, who meowed in protest.

"What did you say, Magnus?" Scott asked. Alec and Magnus both shared a look.

"Nothing," he said innocently.

**Alright! Finally finished this chapter. As I've said before, I got stuck at a certain scene in the chapter, so it took me a while to figure it out. Also, I did a bit of research on Magnus' parents. And I'm not sure if any of you know, but his mother was said to be half Dutch and half Indonesian, and of course I made up the part where she has a sister, for it to make sense in my story. We obviously don't know anything about his dad, so I just made him American, to make it easier. Well, that's it! I hope you liked the chapter, even though it took me a while to update. So please review and tell me what you thought! Bye! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Wow, you guys! Over 100 reviews?! This is awesome! I never thought people would be this interested in my story, and I'm very honored to be able to write something that entertains people. Really, you guys are all wonderful, and I love you all! I'm also very sorry for the late update. I kind of got distracted with other things (blame the Walking Dead and video games). I kind of have a problem. So yeah... I hope you guys can forgive me. This story still has a little while to go, so maybe we can reach 150 reviews? Maybe? Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. Only the characters I made up for this story.**

Chapter Fourteen

After supper, Alec and Magnus returned to his room, with Chairman Meow at their heels. Since there was no use in studying for the science test anymore, the two decided to talk a bit before Alec had to leave. They talked about pretty much anything, but most of the time their conversation fell on Camille. Magnus would explain to Alec that he should be careful with her from now on if he didn't want her knowing of their secret relationship. If she was already protective and jealous of Magnus, they couldn't imagine how much worse she could get if she figured them out.

"I should get going." Alec said, glancing at his watch and realizing that they had talked a lot longer than he thought. "It's already nine."

"It's not that late." Magnus argued, petting Chairman Meow, who was on his owner's lap. "Can't you stay longer?"

"I could ask my parents. How about another hour?" Alec asked.

Magnus grinned. "Sounds good to me."

After Alec's parents had agreed to let him stay at Magnus' house an hour longer, the two started talking again. Alec could have just decided to leave whenever he wanted; he was his own ride home. But he knew that his parents wanted to know when he would be getting home, especially if it was darker outside. Since it was the end of November, it got dark a lot earlier during the day.

The hour passed by very fast before the clock read ten. Alec and Magnus hesitantly got up from their spots on the bed, and Chairman Meow jumped off Alec's lap, who had been purring the whole time. The cat meowed in protest, as if sad and disappointed that his new friend was leaving so soon.

"Well, l guess I should leave for real this time." Alec said, picking up his bag and slinging the straps over his shoulders. "If I don't leave now, I'll never get home."

Magnus laughed. "Maybe I don't _want_ you to leave."

"I know you don't." Alec smiled back. "But I'm sure Isabelle is anxiously waiting for me at home. She'll probably ask me a million questions about what we did."

"That girl sure is interesting." Magnus said. "But I suppose that's why I like her so much."

"If you lived with her, you wouldn't think like that anymore." Alec pointed out, and the two laughed.

"I guess not." Magnus agreed. Alec kept on smiling as he turned around and started to walk towards the bedroom door, but Magnus stopped him, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "Wait, Alec,"

When Alec turned around, he was surprised to have Magnus' lips meet his own. The kiss was light and sweet, and in only a few seconds the sparkly student slowly pulled away. Magnus was still holding Alec's hand, with their fingers intertwined, and the two smiled widely at each other.

"Just wanted to do that before you left my room." Magnus said. "You know, we can't have my aunt and uncle spotting us."

"Yeah," Alec nodded slightly. His grip on Magnus' hand tightened. "I guess you're right."

"Let's go," Magnus said finally, and the two let go of each others hands, and made their way out of Magnus' room, walking side by side all the way downstairs and to the entrance of the house.

Lynn and Scott were both sitting in the living room, reading quietly with the television turned off. They immediately looked up from their books when they heard the two teenagers coming downstairs, since there was no other noise in the house.

"Are you heading home, Alec?" Lynn asked curiously, setting her book down on the armrest of the couch.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I told my parents I'd be home at around ten."

"I see," Lynn smiled, and she got up from the couch, approaching Alec. Scott did the same, and stood next to his wife. "Well, it was very nice having you over, Alec."

"Thank you for letting me stay for supper." Alec thanked shyly.

"It was no problem." Scott said. "I'm glad we were able to learn so much about you."

After Alec had put on his coat and boots, and made sure he had everything in his bag, it was finally time for him to go. He was standing by the door, with Magnus and his aunt and uncle ready to bid him farewell. Chairman Meow was nowhere to be seen; he was probably curled up on the couch, waiting for one of them to go over and pet him.

"See you Monday." Magnus said, a smile plastered on his face.

"See you." Alec nodded, and once he had said goodbye to Scott and Lynn, he made his way outside, the cold air greeting him with heavy force. Alec jogged over to his car, eager to get inside and turn on the heater.

Once the car was turned on and the car was heated up, Alec made his way out of the driveway, turning up the volume on the radio. For some reason, Alec was in an unbelievably good mood. He was humming along to the song playing on the radio and tapping his foot to the beat. Glancing at the dashboard, he spotted the small scrap of paper with Magnus' address on it. Of course, he was this happy because of Magnus. He was the reason why Alec felt truly happy.

Alec knew that when he would get home, his sister would be asking him a bunch of questions about his day. At this point, he didn't care, because he was used to his sister nagging him about him and Magnus' relationship. And right now, he knew that nothing could bother him. Absolutely nothing. He was definitely ready for whatever questions Isabelle threw at him.

* * *

"Tell me everything." Isabelle said, plopping on the bed right beside her brother. She had this impossibly giant grin on her face, which scared Alec a little.

"Izzy," he sighed. "What is there to say? We studied for almost five hours straight. I had supper at his house. Done."

Alec knew that his sister would demand to know more, and at first he thought he wasn't going to mind all that much. But now that he was sitting on his comfortable bed after a long day of studying, he felt truly exhausted. He wanted to change into his pajamas, curl up under the blankets and fall asleep. But no, he just had to have a sister who had these weird issues about going into people's businesses.

"Okay, okay," Isabelle said, putting her hands up in surrender. "I understand how I can come off as a little annoying."

"A _little_?" Alec said, raising his eyebrows. "You're being too modest."

"Fine," she snapped. "I can be pretty damn annoying."

"Better," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Can you answer just this one question, though?"

"Shoot," Alec shrugged.

"Did you and Magnus kiss? Like, make out?"

"Yes," Alec answered, rolling his eyes. If he wasn't expecting that question, he would be blushing furiously right now. Isabelle smirked, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Alec quickly interrupted her. "No more questions."

"I wasn't going to ask any more questions." Isabelle stated. "I was just going to add an inappropriate comment."

"Get out, Iz." Alec said, pointing towards his bedroom door. "I don't need your inappropriate comments either."

"Oh, come on." she whined. "You suck."

Alec didn't reply. He just rolled his eyes once more. With a heavy sigh, Isabelle stood up from the bed and made her way to the closed bedroom door. As she opened it and stepped out into the hallway, she turned around and smiled at her older brother.

"You know, I'm really happy for you, Alec." she started. "I haven't seen you this happy since... well, ever."

"Are you saying I've been depressed and gloomy my whole life?" he asked jokingly.

"Not your _whole _life." Isabelle gave him a small smile. "But I noticed you've changed ever since Clary came along. You became more... distant. But Magnus changed all that, right?"

Alec glanced down at his hands resting on his lap. To be honest, he hadn't expected his sister to bring up Jace or Clary. Now that he thought about it, what _did _he think about Jace? He wasn't necessarily chopped liver now that he was dating Magnus, but he wasn't really his top priority anymore, either. Alec wondered if he would ever get over Jace. When he would think about his best friend, there was still that familiar fluttering feeling in his stomach. When he would see him and Clary cuddling or kissing, he would still feel a pang of jealousy too. That frustrated him, because he _shouldn't_ feel that way anymore. He had Magnus. But he just couldn't help it.

"Alec?" Isabelle said, snapping her brother out of his train of thoughts.

"Sorry, you just got me thinking." Alec replied, looking back up at his sister.

Isabelle leaned against the door frame, and took on a sympathetic look. "About Jace?"

"I'm fine," Alec dismissed his sister's question. He then managed a smile. "You're right, though. Magnus did change all that."

"Okay," Isabelle nodded, and smiled back at her brother. Although she still had that worried look on her face. "Good night."

"Good night," Alec said, and when his sister closed the door behind her, he lay down on his bed and let out a heavy sigh. He was angry at himself for still feeling what he was feeling for Jace. He thought that by now he'd be completely over his best friend, since he was now dating someone. And he truly did like Magnus. He was funny, kind, gorgeous and not to mention a great kisser, but Alec supposed that wasn't enough to not like Jace anymore.

When Alec finally decided to get up and change into his pajamas, he couldn't stop thinking up ways to get over Jace. But there wasn't really a solution to it. It would probably take Alec some time and many distractions for it to take effect and work.

As Alec lay in bed, a sudden thought had dawned on him. Realizing that he really wasn't over Jace, how was he going to face him at school? For the past two weeks, he was able to do it because he was so caught up with Magnus. But now that this thought had entered his mind, it was a little different.

There wasn't much that Alec could do. He just had to live his life like he did for the past five years crushing on Jace. It shouldn't be that hard. All he had to do was see how he would act around Jace from now on. And that sounded easy to do. There was nothing to worry about.

Right?

* * *

First thing on Monday morning, Alec had gym class with Jace and Magnus. He was happy and a little nervous all at the same time. He started to wonder how he would act around Jace in the changing rooms. Alec didn't really want to think about that for too long, afraid his mind would wander.

"Hey, we're starting badminton this week, right?" Jace asked his best friend, once they were in the changing room.

"Yeah," Alec nodded simply, keeping his eyes on his gym stuff, and refusing to look over at Jace.

"Great, I love badminton. It's such a fun and easy sport." Magnus, who was standing on Alec's other side, said happily.

"Agreed," Jace said with a smile.

While everyone was getting changed, Alec couldn't help but glance at Jace. He had his back facing him, and he was leaning down slightly, reaching in his bag for his gym shirt, since he wasn't wearing one right now. Alec admired his well-defined back, and how the muscles rippled when he moved his arms. Slowly, Alec trailed his eyes down his back; lower, lower, lower... until he finally snapped his gaze away from his friend and let out a small cough.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick." Alec announced, feeling all embarrassed.

"Without a shirt on?" Magnus questioned, an angular eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," Alec said slowly, scratching his head. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Magnus said, trying to keep a serious face, however he was failing miserably with the big grin plastered on his face. Even Jace was chuckling slightly.

Rolling his eyes, Alec quickly made his way to the bathroom in the changing rooms. Luckily for him no one was using it at the moment. He heard from Isabelle that the bathroom in the girl's changing room in the gym was constantly being used by someone, and you were lucky if you could use it before class started.

Alec used the toilet first—he wasn't lying about having to go to the bathroom—and afterward he washed his hands, staring at his face in the mirror covered in fingerprints. He couldn't believe he had just stared at Jace like that, and even dared look lower than his back. The thoughts that had been running through his mind made Alec want to hit himself. It's not like he had never stared at his friend and had private thoughts about him before. But he was dating Magnus, so what was wrong with him?

"Pull yourself together, Alec." he mumbled under his breath, his hands gripping the sides of the sink and his head hanging low. After another minute, Alec stepped out of the bathroom, feeling a little better. Only a little.

Realizing there was no one in the changing room, Alec started to panic. Had the bell rung already? Glancing at the clock on the wall, he saw that there was still a good minute left. Breathing a sigh of relief, Alec made his way back to his locker, quickly wanting to get into his gym shirt. However, after a few steps, he felt someone's hand on his shoulder, and Alec spun around, startled. It was Magnus.

"For a second there I though maybe you had fallen into the toilet." Magnus said with a grin on his face.

"Very funny," Alec chuckled softly.

There was a moment of silence as Magnus' eye rested on Alec's chest. Alec glanced down at his bare torso, and started to blush, feeling embarrassed by the intimate attention he was getting from his boyfriend. They were in the changing room, and it dawned on Alec that if someone walked in right now, it would be a very awkward situation.

"Sometimes I wish guys were allowed to take gym class shirtless." Magnus said, his eyes slowly looking back up into Alec's.

"That thought has entered my mind a few times." Alec said, and then glanced at his open locker. "But unfortunately, it's an essential to cover yourself up."

"Very unfortunate." Magnus' grin widened. He leaned forward to press his lips against Alec's in a quick kiss. "Now go put your shirt on. I'll see you outside."

Alec smiled, and when Magnus turned around to leave, he quickly went to his locker to put his shirt on. With only a few seconds remaining, he closed his locker shut and jogged out of the changing room just as the bell rang. Alec let out a sigh of relief. He hated being late for class.

As soon as class started, all the students started to put up the nets. Once that was done, everyone paired up in groups of two to practice their swings and hits before actually playing real matches. Jace had asked Alec to be his partner, since Magnus had been his partner last time. Alec had agreed, and he offered to grab both of their rackets and one birdie.

When Alec and Jace started to pass each other the birdie, Alec was trying his best to concentrate. Every time the birdie went high above Jace's head, and he had to extend his arm high up in the air to reach it, his shirt would ride up, revealing a small strip of his perfect stomach. Alec had to yell inwardly at himself so he could stop staring. It's not like he had never seen Jace shirtless before. He already knew that his best friend had an amazing body.

Things got worse when Alec and Jace went up against Magnus and his partner. At one point, when's Magnus' shirt had rode up trying to hit the birdie, Alec froze in place and stared at his boyfriend. He was brought back to reality when the birdie hit him squarely on the head.

"What the hell was that, Alec?" Jace said, looking unimpressed. "You could have easily hit it."

Embarrassed, Alec picked up the birdie at his feet and threw it back on their opponent's side. "Sorry," he said lamely. "I wasn't paying attention."

"I'll say," Jace said, however there was a hint of amusement in his voice. Magnus and his partner laughed, which didn't help the situation.

When the class finally ended, however, Alec was extremely relieved. He did not want to embarrass himself any further because of his stupid thoughts. Alec lost count on how many times he wanted to kick himself. Jace even asked Alec if he was using his brain today. It had been a joke, of course, but Alec was starting to ask himself that exact question.

Math class passed by much faster, surprisingly. Neither Jace nor Magnus were in that class with him, so that was probably why it was much easier for him to concentrate. The only odd thing that Alec noticed while in class was Simon constantly texting on his cellphone, and surprisingly not getting caught. He wasn't sure who he was texting, but Alec had a pretty good idea who that person was.

When lunchtime came, everyone was happy about that. Alec and the others eagerly took their seats at their usual cafeteria table, and immediately started to dig in and converse.

"So, how's your foot, Seb?" Jace asked, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"It's much better. Only four more weeks and I can take off this stupid boot." he replied, motioning to his foot. The boot, which was basically a giant cast made of felt, plastic and Velcro, had been replaced by Sebastian's bandages and crutches the moment he went to the hospital after the soccer finals. Sebastian commented on many occasions how much the boot made his foot sweaty and stinky, which he obviously hated.

"I can't wait for that either." Jordan commented, and when Sebastian glanced at him confusingly, he added, "Because your foot really smells."

"Shut up," Sebastian said, punching his friend in the arm, who only chuckled in response. Everyone else laughed too.

As the conversation went on, Alec glanced around the cafeteria out of habit. He spotted Jonathan and Natasha sitting a few tables down from them. They were sitting with some of the football players and cheerleaders, and everyone was talking and laughing loudly. However, Alec noticed that Natasha was looking in his direction. In fact, she was looking straight at Alec with an observant look on her face. Jonathan didn't seem to notice, though. He had his arm wrapped around her waist and had his head turned the other way.

Noticing this, Alec quickly looked away, and started to wonder why Natasha was staring at him. He was getting a little anxious about it, since it hadn't been the first time he caught her observing him. He wasn't exactly sure why she was so interested in him, since he wasn't particularly interesting. Besides, girls usually stared at Jace or Magnus instead.

Magnus seemed to have noticed Alec's tension, because he very subtly rested his hand on his thigh, giving it a light squeeze. It took Alec all he could not to react to that, and instead he just casually looked over at him, and started a random conversation. After a few minutes, Alec forgot all about Natasha, and enjoyed the rest of his lunch with his friends.

The rest of the day passed by pretty quickly, compared to the morning. Even though he had English with Jace, it wasn't nearly as bad as gym class. There was the fact that Alec didn't see him shirtless again, but he couldn't get rid of the butterflies in his stomach every time Jace would laugh or smile.

When the day finally ended, Alec was surprised to see Magnus waiting at his locker. Usually Alec would meet up at Magnus' locker, or they would meet up outside with everyone else. Although it was a pretty pleasant surprise nonetheless.

"Hey, Magnus," Alec greeted, using his combination on his locker. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see you." Magnus smiled, leaning against the locker beside Alec's. "And talk about something."

"About what?" Alec asked, but he sort of had a feeling what it was.

"I know I might seem a little annoying asking you this, but you really seemed off today. Is something wrong?" Magnus questioned, looking sincerely worried. "And as cute as you look when you're troubled, it's a little concerning."

"Sometimes I forget that you can read me like a book." Alec sighed. And he used to think it was Jace that knew him inside and out. Of course, except for the whole gay thing. "But you're right, I guess I'm a little out of it."

"It's about Jace, isn't it?" Magnus guessed.

"What?"

"You honestly think I didn't notice how you acted in gym class?" Magnus replied, raising an eyebrow. "It's obvious you were swooning."

"I'm sorry." Alec apologized, looking down at his feet.

"Why are you apologizing?" Magnus asked confusingly.

"I don't know... I just thought you would be mad or something?" Alec said hesitantly. To be honest, he wasn't sure how Magnus would react when he figured out he still liked Jace. Somehow, he thought he would be at least a little upset about it.

"Of course not." Magnus answered. "The way you're acting is completely normal. People always want something they can't have. Ever since you liked him, and you knew he wasn't gay, you couldn't have him. Ever since he started dating Clary, you wanted him even more because someone else had him. And now that you're going out with me, and you still can't have Jace, you still want him."

"But I shouldn't be thinking like that." Alec said. "Because I already have what I want."

"Aren't you sweet." Magnus said with a wide smile. "You might have what you want, but you also desire things that you don't have."

"I guess," Alec sighed. "So what do you suggest I do?"

"That you spend more time with me, of course." Magnus replied, as if that answer wasn't obvious enough.

"Do you think that will actually work?" Alec asked teasingly. "Hanging out with you seems like hard work."

"You're right," Magnus laughed. Then he stared at Alec with a sincere smile. "My point is, though, that you don't have to worry about still liking Jace. I know it might take a while to get over him. But to actually do that, you have to spend more time with me and less with Jace when he's with Clary."

"That makes sense." Alec nodded. He then closed his locker, having all of his homework and other necessities in his bag. "Oh, and thanks."

"Thanks for what?"

"For being so understanding. I don't know if I would have reacted like you did." Alec said with a warm smile.

"You don't need to say that. But do you know how to thank me?" Magnus asked.

"How?" Alec already knew the answer though.

"Meet me at our usual spot and you'll find out." he winked.

"This is why you're my boyfriend." Alec said, and couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

As the week went by, Alec didn't feel as if the days were passing by slowly anymore. After having that conversation with Magnus, he felt much better about the Jace situation. It was comforting to know that his boyfriend was so understanding with Alec's feelings for his best friend. It was true, it would take some before he was completely over him, but at least he was making some progress. Somewhat.

Alec would still find himself staring at Jace when they were getting changed for gym class. He never had to excuse himself and go to the bathroom to calm down anymore, and he wouldn't be staring for as long either, but would still _stare_ at him subtly, nonetheless. No one really noticed; it was more of a silent admiration.

However, those weren't Alec's only problems. That threat Jonathan made to Magnus was still fresh in his mind even though everyone else seemed to have forgotten about it. Even though he wasn't making any signs of doing anything, it was still unsettling. Maybe Natasha was doing some spying for him, to get some information out of him or Magnus. To be honest, Alec thought it was a silly idea, though.

Then there was Camille. She seemed to be hanging out with Magnus a lot more than usual. She would always want to get a ride with him to hang out after school. Alec would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit jealous. It was one thing that someone was hanging out with Magnus more than he was at the moment, but since that person was Camille, someone he didn't really trust anymore, that just made the situation a whole lot worse. He wasn't sure why he was that jealous, though; he trusted Magnus completely. Alec supposed he was just the jealous type.

When the week was over, the month ended and in came December. The first semester was going by surprisingly fast, and there were only about three weeks left of school before the Christmas holidays. Two whole weeks off away from school. That idea always appealed to all the students.

December also meant the Christmas show on the last day of school, as well as a Christmas themed dance on the same day. Alec though the Christmas show was always pretty good and entertaining, but the dance was always something he hated. Everyone always had dates when he didn't; since he would reject every girl who asked him out to the dance. The only other person who never really had a date either was Simon, but he would always end up dancing with Clary or Isabelle. Even Sebastian had gotten a date—some girl that Alec forgot the name of—but they had never really talked since then.

This year was different, though. Now that Alec was going out with Magnus, he finally had a date. Well, he couldn't really go to the dance with him, since no one knew they were going out, or that Alec was gay. It was kind of important that they know before that, but Alec couldn't bring himself to do it. He wasn't ready, especially since there were still other things going on through his head.

It was at this time, however, that people starting asking each other to the dance. Alec thought it was too early, but he supposed there were some people very eager to ask out their date before someone else did. It was still ridiculous, in Alec's opinion.

Of course, people like Jace or Jordan didn't really have to ask anyone out to the dance. They already had their girlfriends to go to the dance with, and everyone knew better than to ask people who were already taken.

It's not like Alec ever really went to the dances anyway. He went to the few dances last year, however, when Jace had insisted he go even if he didn't have a date. Alec had agreed of course, but he didn't really have a good time. He didn't like dancing and just ended up talking to people by the snack table.

The only reason Alec thought it kind of important to at least go to the dances this year was because it was his last year in high school. He should at least take part in activities organized by the school before he didn't have that opportunity anymore. Also, because Magnus had never been to any dance at this school. If he would want to go, then Alec thought it would be a good idea to go too. Besides, Magnus would make it more fun. At least all the twelfth graders would be going, so Alec didn't see a problem in showing up to the dances.

Since it was Simon's last year of high school as well, he seemed to have gotten the courage to ask Isabelle out to the dance. She said yes, which surprised everyone but Alec and the rest of their small group of friends. It had been obvious to all of them that the two had a thing for one another, and Alec didn't really seem to mind. Now that Isabelle was taken, a bunch of guys were disappointed, and they all probably hated Simon for asking her out before all of them had the chance.

Right now, Alec, Isabelle and Max were all in his car, on the way home after school. Isabelle looked pretty happy—since Simon just asked her out to the dance, of course—and she couldn't stop smiling and talking. Max was listening to his iPod as usual, and Alec was stuck listening to her go on and on.

"You and Magnus should go to the dance together." Isabelle said, once she was done talking about how excited she was.

"I kind of can't do that." Alec replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Why?

"Really, Iz? No one knows we're going out. No one knows I'm _gay_."

"Oh, right," Isabelle said, her smile disappearing. "I guess now would be a good time to tell everyone."

"Not now."

"And why is that?" Isabelle asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because, I'm not ready, that's why!" Alec said a little too forcefully. He saw that his sister was looking at him with wide eyes. Even Max had jumped at his tone. "Sorry, I just really don't like the Christmas dance. Or any other dance, for that matter."

"I know you don't. But that was because you never had a date. Now you do, so why not tell everyone?" Isabelle said.

"It's more complicated than that." Alec explained. "I don't even know how to tell mom and dad. If I can't do that, how do you expect me to tell everyone at school that I'm actually dating another boy?"

"I understand that, but... you don't want to miss the dance, do you?" his sister asked.

"Not if Magnus wants to go. And knowing him, he'd definitely want to go."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Alec shrugged. "I'll figure something out. It's not like I have to ask him right now just because everyone else has a date."

"You're right." Isabelle smiled. "And it's not like anyone's really brave enough to ask Magnus out to the dance anyway."

Alec laughed. "That's true."

* * *

Alec had thought long and hard about what to do about the dance. He had told his sister he would figure something out, but he didn't really believe he could. What exactly was he supposed to do? It's not like he wanted anyone to know about him and Magnus right now, but the dance was making that a little difficult. Especially since Magnus wanted to go. Alec didn't know it before, but Magnus had known about the dance a long time ago, and was very set on going no matter what.

This just put Alec under even more stress. What was he supposed to do? Was Magnus expecting for them to go together as a couple, or just as friends? Did he want to make it official in front of everyone during the dance, or tell everyone before that? Alec knew Magnus wouldn't do anything without his word, but it was still something to worry about. So, he did the only thing he knew would calm him down. He went to talk to Magnus about it.

"So you're not ready to come out of the closet?" Magnus asked once Alec had explained everything.

"Well, I don't know. I have no idea how to approach the situation."

"I see," Magnus said. "I understand how it must be hard. But you have to tell someone. The longer you wait, the harder it'll be."

"I know." Alec sighed. "I've kept it a secret for so long, that it's so hard to even try to tell someone."

"Why don't you try to tell someone you know won't get a big reaction. Someone that won't judge you if you tell them who you really are." Magnus explained. "Maybe your parents, instead of a friend."

"I guess you're right that they won't judge me. But I guess I'm not used to having a serious conversation with them." Alec admitted.

"There is that." Magnus agreed. "But it's worth a shot, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded.

"Hey, only do this if you feel ready. I'm just saying maybe now is a good time to come out. The dance is in a few weeks and everyone's in a good mood. I don't see a problem with anything. If you want to, that is." Magnus added.

"Don't worry, you're not forcing me to do this." Alec said with a small smile. "I guess I'm just a little nervous. Or maybe even scared."

"You shouldn't be." Magnus reassured. If they weren't at school, he would have probably taken his hands to reassure him even more. Instead he just gave him a warm smile, which was just as effective.

"Thanks," Alec's smile widened.

Later that day, when Alec was sitting in his room doing some homework, he started to think about what to do about this whole situation. Right now, his parents weren't home, so he had more time to himself. Isabelle and Max were in their rooms too, probably not doing their homework. Alec decided to not get involved this time.

The more Alec thought about coming out to his parents, the more he got nervous and anxious. He was able to keep his secret from almost everyone for over five years, and deciding to tell everyone now definitely brought him out of his comfort zone. Alec was used to being an awkward and close minded person, and he never thought that telling everyone his big secret would be something he would ever do.

Was that it then? Had it not been for Magnus, would Alec never have even thought coming out to anyone for the rest of his life? Would he have married some girl he could never truly love, have children and raise a family? His whole life would be fake and miserable, while all of his friends and family grew up and lived a happy life with their dream job and family. Was that what Alec would have done?

No. Alec could never be able to keep it bottled up inside for so long. At some point, he would burst. Probably before even getting tied down with someone—that someone being a girl—and it would all go downhill from there. He imagined breaking her heart, surprising everyone around him and probably losing all of their trust. They would be mad at him for sure. And Alec definitely didn't want that.

So that was what made up Alec's mind. If he didn't come out _now_, the rest of his life would be a living hell. It would be worth telling his parents about his sexuality. It would be worth telling all of his friends, and let everyone else at school know that he did not like girls, but boys.

Alec suddenly stood up from his chair, and quickly got out of his room, walking down the hallway with long strides. He stopped in front of his sister's room and knocked. He wasn't sure why he was going to tell her about his decision—personally he hated it when Isabelle got into his business—but for some reason he wanted to tell her just this once.

In a few seconds, his sister opened the door, asking, "What?"

"Tell me if I'm crazy, but I think I'm going to come out to mom and dad during supper tonight." Alec explained, the words coming out as fast as he could manage.

"You're crazy," Isabelle said, her eyes widened. Then a smile played on her lips. "But you're also super awesome. What made you decide to do it?"

"I talked about it with Magnus. Then I thought about it for a while in my room just now." Alec said, glancing back at his room.

"I'm glad someone was able to convince you. Although I guess in the end you made up your own mind." Isabelle's smile widened.

"I think what I'm doing is completely crazy, but I think this is better than living a life of lies." Alec went on. "I kind of made up this scenario where all of you grew up happy and successful, while I lived in misery with a random wife and kids."

Isabelle laughed. "Oh, Alec, you've got quite the imagination. But I guess it does make sense. If you never come out to anyone _ever_, you're going to end up with what you don't want."

"Exactly," he nodded.

"So, was I right, or was I right? Coming out is the best solution!" Alec's sister said happily.

"Yeah, yeah, you were right. Just try putting yourself in my shoes, and you'll see how hard it is to do this sort of thing."

At this, Isabelle smiled sadly. "It really shouldn't be."

"It shouldn't." he said seriously. "But that's just how life is."

The two siblings fell into a moment of silence, until a few seconds passed, and Alec decided to go back to his room. Isabelle quickly agreed, and closed the door behind her with a soft _click_.

When Alec's parents got home about an hour later, he started to get all nervous. At first he was regretting ever deciding to come out of the closet at this time, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He couldn't start delaying something like this. If he ever did that, he would never come out to anyone. Ever.

As soon as Maryse called everyone to the kitchen table, Alec's heart hammered in his chest uncontrollably. For a second he thought he was going to puke, but he made himself calm down before even stepping in the kitchen. Alec kept telling himself that he could do this. That he _had _to do this.

Supper started just like any other normal day. Maryse started a conversation by asking each of her kids how their day went, and they would always reply by saying it was just fine. Robert would add in some small things too at times, since he wasn't much of a talker. The fact that everyone was so calm made Alec even more nervous. It was driving him crazy.

As the time went by, and Alec's chance was slowly slipping away, his anxiousness got even worse. Alec's hands were shaky and sweaty that he had to wipe his palms against his jeans multiple times for it to be less damp. Isabelle seemed to have noticed her brother's behavior, because she looked at him with a stern face, urging him to say something already.

And so he did exactly that. However, when he spoke up, Robert was in the middle of saying something, so everyone looked at him surprisingly as he did so. That caused Alec to feel all embarrassed, so he shut his mouth.

"What is it, Alexander?" Maryse asked curiously, and that was when Alec let out a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come.

"Mom, dad... I have something to tell you."

**I feel kinda bad for ending it here, on a cliffhanger. I know I've done this to you guys many times, but it's just way too fun, as a writer. I, personally, hate cliffhangers, but when you're writing them, it's so much more fun. So, anyway... I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. I kind of ran out of ideas for this chapter, but I'm telling you right now I have plenty more for the next one. So don't worry. And I know it's been a while since I've updated, but reviews would be wonderful. They brighten my day! Bye! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Next chapter up! I was planning on updating this one in two weeks, but I guess I'm a week late. I've been busy with school, as usual, so that's still in the way of my writing. But here it is, nonetheless. So please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. **

Chapter Fifteen

"Mom, dad... I have something to tell you."

There was a moment of awkward silence as Alec stared at his parents. They were looking at him curiously, obviously urging him to go on. But as Alec opened his mouth to speak, no sound came out. He felt as if the words were caught in his throat, refusing to be heard.

"Alexander? If you have something to say, spit it out." Maryse said, a frown forming on her face.

"I-I just..." Alec glanced at his sister, who was giving him a reassuring look. "Sorry, was I interrupting something you said, dad?"

"It's fine, you can say what you want to say first." Robert reassured him.

"You know what, it's not that important. Go ahead." Alec said, all of his confidence slipping away in an instant. From the corner of his eye, he could see Isabelle staring at him, but he didn't want to look at her. He felt too ashamed.

"Well, alright," Alec's father said slowly. "Are you feeling okay, Alexander?"

"Yeah, just fine." he reassured him. "I can just say it after."

"Okay," Robert nodded. "Well, as I was saying before, there's a new employee at the office your mom and I work at. His name is Micheal and he just moved here from Michigan with his boyfriend."

"His boyfriend?" Alec asked curiously.

"Yes," Robert then pursed his lips. "He and his boyfriend want to get married."

"Oh right, because gay marriage is illegal in Michigan, right?" Isabelle asked.

"As it should be everywhere else." Alec's father said. "Two men getting married is not part of the tradition. They should keep their romantic relationships to themselves."

"Why?" Alec said a little too quickly. He had to admit, he felt a little insulted that his dad felt that way. Isabelle, Max and Maryse were looking at him surprisingly.

"I just don't see the point." Robert replied. "They're unable to have children."

"They can adopt, though." Alec pointed out.

"Yes, but that's not the _tradition_." his father replied. "Marriage is for a man and a woman. It's unnatural for two men to have that sort of attraction for each other."

Alec's throat started to feel tight. He knew that his family was Catholic and religious, but he didn't know that his parents were _that _religious. Or at least, his dad. He hadn't heard his mother's opinion on the subject yet. He had to admit he was a little afraid to hear it.

"Well, I guess, but it's not like two guys going out or even getting married bothers anyone." Alec said.

"Of course it does. It bothers people who don't like seeing two men showing affection. Some people are homophobic, Alexander, and you should respect that."

As soon as his father said that, Alec felt himself boil with anger. Since when did he know anything about _respect_? His father had no right to use that word. If people like Alec had to respect people who hated homosexuals, then shouldn't people respect the fact that _he_ was homosexual? None of it made any sense to him.

"I understand that." Alec said, although he really didn't. He then turned to his mother. "What do you think, mom?"

"I'm a little bit more open on the subject, but I agree that two men getting married doesn't have much value. I don't disagree with the states that make it illegal." Maryse replied.

Even though Alec never loved many people, he still imagined himself getting married. It wasn't a law to get married and have children, of course, but Alec warmed up to the idea. He just never knew who exactly he would marry and raise kids with. Although at this point he started getting more of an idea on the who. And it really frustrated him that his parents both thought gay marriage was pointless and shouldn't be made legal in the remaining states and countries.

"So... are you two saying you hate Micheal?" Alec asked slowly.

"I don't hate Micheal." Robert explained. "I just dislike his perspective and preferences." Maryse slowly nodded her head in agreement.

Alec thought that disliking someone's perspectives and preferences was just like hating on the person himself. He didn't dare say that out loud, though. He glanced at Isabelle, who was giving him a sympathetic look. Max had the same look on his face as well. He knew that they both wanted to apologize and tell him it was going to be okay, but it wasn't. His hopes of coming out to his parents had completely vanished.

As everyone fell into another awkward silence, eating with their heads staring at their plates, Robert spoke up again, saying, "Well, what's your opinion on this subject, Alexander?"

"Me?" Alec asked, looking back up at his father. "I'm open on the subject. I see nothing wrong with two guys getting married."

"I feel the same way." Isabelle added hopefully.

"Me too," Max agreed, and Robert glanced at each of his children, and just nodded in response, not saying another word.

Alec glanced down at his plate angrily, silently eating his vegetables and forcing himself to calm down. He couldn't just burst right then and there. His parents would be a little shocked and wonder why he was getting so offensive over their opinions. Of course, they would probably guess that he was gay himself if he reacted angrily, so he decided to keep his mouth shut.

"Oh, Alec, what did you want to say earlier?" Robert said after a minute of silence.

"I, uh... I forgot. It wasn't that important, anyway." Alec lied, waving his hand off in dismissal.

As soon as everyone finished supper, however, Alec immediately went to his room, closing the door behind him and sitting at his desk. He felt not only frustrated, but hopeless. He felt disappointed in himself and his parents; especially his dad. Knowing that they felt that way, he couldn't just tell them that he was homosexual. Alec didn't know how they would react, and he really didn't want to know.

After a few minutes of doing nothing but staring at the wall, Alec decided to call Magnus. His boyfriend could surely reassure him in a critical time like this.

"What's up, sweetheart?" Magnus greeted.

"It's about my parents." Alec said.

"Oh, did you come out to them during supper? What did they say?" Magnus asked anxiously.

"I was _going _to, but then my dad started talking about how he completely disagreed with same-sex marriage, and how he thought two men in a relationship was completely wrong. All because of a gay coworker at my parent's office." Alec explained, letting everything out in one go. He then ran a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "Now I can't come out to them knowing that."

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry." Magnus apologized, his voice soft and reassuring. "But you can't lose hope now."

"But Magnus, my parents will probably hate me if they knew I was gay." Alec said, and speaking those words out loud hurt him. The last thing he wanted was his parents hating him. Just thinking about it brought tears to his eyes. "And I don't want that."

"They won't hate you." Magnus said. "Your parents will always love you, Alec, no matter what. It'll probably take some getting used to for them, but over time I'm sure they'll accept it."

"I don't know..." Alec sniffled, trying to make it seem like he wasn't about to cry, but he was doing a pretty bad job. "My dad... he really seemed like he hated the whole idea of it."

"Don't cry, sweetheart." Magnus said, sounding hurt himself. "Everything is going to be okay."

"No, it won't." Alec's voice cracked as he said so, and he choked back a sob. "I don't know what to do anymore. Now I can never even look at my parents without thinking about it."

"Don't think like that. You're still not alone, Alec. You never are. And I know this might hurt, knowing what you're parents really think, but you'll get through this. Okay?"

"I... okay." Alec sniffed, rubbing his eyes. "I just wish you were here with me right now."

"Me too." Magnus agreed. "I wish I could comfort you with more than just words. If you know what I mean."

Alec couldn't help but laugh, which sounded very similar to a cough. "Trust me, I know."

"Feeling better now?" Magnus asked, and he sounded as if he was smiling.

"Yes, a little." Alec smiled. "Thanks, Magnus. You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"Anytime, darling. I'd do anything to make you happy. You know that, right?"

"Yes," Alec replied. "Oh, and Magnus?"

"Hm?"

"I, um... thank you again."

Magnus laughed on the other line. "You're very welcome."

* * *

The next day at school, Alec couldn't stop thinking about what his parents had said last night during supper. Their whole opinion of homosexuals shocked him, and he was still upset and felt conflicted on what to do despite having spoken to Magnus on the phone right after. Talking to him comforted and reassured him, yes, but he still couldn't get rid of that sickening feeling in his stomach. It was hard for him to accept his parent's opinion.

As the day went by, Alec slowly forgot about last night, though. During gym class, he was having a good time playing badminton with Magnus and Jace. His best friend was in a pretty good mood because of the dance coming up, and he kept making jokes about how he and Alec should blow everyone away with their awesome dance moves. Then there was the fact that Simon and Isabelle kept making googly eyes at each other. It should have bothered Alec, but for some odd reason it amused him and everyone else.

When lunch came along, that was when Alec had almost completely forgotten about the other day. Having an easy-going and funny conversation with all of his friends definitely helped.

"You know what I was telling Alec in gym class? That the both of us will be blowing everyone away on the dance floor with our moves." Jace explained, eating his slice of pizza.

"Really? I didn't know Alec danced." Sebastian said.

"Yeah, I thought he hated it." Jordan agreed. "Or he just sucks, which is _why _he hates dancing."

"I know I suck." Alec admitted, glancing at Sebastian and Jordan, who smiled.

"No you guys, you don't understand. Since I'm so freaking gorgeous and amazingly talented, they won't even notice Alec dancing next to me." Jace reassured, and everyone laughed.

"Thanks, Jace." Alec rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile too.

"What about when you're dancing with me? Are you going to blind everyone with your talent that people won't notice me either?" Clary asked with a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Absolutely not." Jace said. "I'll be dancing amazingly to impress _you_, of course." He then winked at his girlfriend, who rolled her eyes and laughed afterward.

"Always a charmer." Jordan's smile widened. "Luckily for me I don't need charm to impress Maia. All I need is a sense of humor and good looks."

"Sure," Maia replied slowly, and Jordan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"What about you and Simon, Izzy?" Jace asked. "Are you guys going to blow everyone away too?"

"I think the same thing applies to us, yes." Isabelle smiled. "Alec and Simon don't have to worry about not being able to dance."

"Well, thanks for believing in Alec and I, everyone." Simon said sarcastically.

"Hey, at least you _have _a date." Sebastian pointed out. "Unless there's something I missed, Alec, Magnus and Camille don't have dates either. _We_ should be complaining."

"Who knows," Jordan shrugged. "Maybe Alec is secretly going with Camille."

As soon as Jordan said that, Alec choked on his piece of carrot. He had to chug it down with his water and cough a few times before being able to breathe normally again. Tears had filled his eyes, and he looked at his friend with an incredulous look, who was laughing.

"I'm not going to the dance with her." Alec said.

"Okay, okay." Jordan put his hands up in front of him, still chuckling. "I was only joking."

Alec wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and went back to eating his carrots without saying another word. He knew Jordan was only joking, but just the thought of he and Camille being romantically involved made him all awkward.

"For the record, showing up without a date to the dance is even better than going with a date." Magnus said, slowly leaning away from the subject. "In the end, you don't know who you'll end up with. It's always a fun surprise."

"I guess if you put it that way..." Sebastian said thoughtfully. "But who says you'll actually get a shot with anyone at all?"

"Well, I don't know how it works for everyone else, but I can get anyone I want like this." Magnus snapped his fingers as he spoke that last word, a smirk on his face. Everyone chuckled, and the mood seemed to have lifted immediately. Magnus always knew how to lighten the mood, no matter the subject. That was one of the many things Alec liked about him.

After lunch, things were still going perfectly fine with Alec. He was still thinking optimistically like he was in the morning, and having Magnus joke around all the time definitely helped. He almost thought that things were perfectly fine in his life. However, he knew that he still had his parents to worry about, and how he now had zero confidence in coming out to his parents. The good thing was, Magnus had given him a small sliver of hope, which was what kept him going.

When the last bell rang, Alec decided to meet up with Magnus at his locker. Sometimes they would meet up at each others lockers, so they would have the chance to talk alone. Alec thought it was one of those days where he had to talk to him in private. For some reason they always had something to talk about, whether it was serious or pure silliness.

Arriving at Magnus' locker, Alec noticed that someone else was already there. Not Magnus himself, but someone he really didn't want to see. Camille.

"Oh, hi," Alec said with fake politeness. "What brings you here?"

"I should be asking you the same question." Camille said, her voice venomous. She was leaning against Magnus' locker, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What, I'm not allowed to talk to Magnus?"

"What, _I'm _not allowed to talk to him either?" she retorted.

Alec sighed. "Look, Camille, can't we just accept that we _both _want to talk to him, and stop acting immature?"

Camille snorted. "I'm not acting immature, but whatever you say." She then smirked. "So, why are you meeting up with Magnus here?"

"It's not important." Alec said, trying not to blush. If Camille noticed, she made no sign of it. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, you know, I just wanted to ask him something." she replied, eying Alec like she had some plan up her sleeve."Something that involves a certain dance coming up really soon."

"Wait, you're going to ask Magnus out to the dance?" Alec said, his eyes widening.

"So what?" Camille shrugged. "You have a problem with that?"

"N-no, of course not." he said quickly. "I just thought that, you know, you guys were just friends. That your dating years with him were long gone."

"I can ask him out as a friend, you know." Camille pointed out. "Unless... the idea of us going together somehow bothers you."

"Why would it bother me?" Alec snapped.

"How could you ask such a stupid question?" Camille snapped back. "Do you think I'm completely clueless? I know you like Magnus, and I _know _that there's something going on between you two."

"There's nothing going on between us. And if there was, why would _that _bother you?"

"Oh, so you're not denying it? There is something going on, and I plan on finding proof." Camille said. "You know, if you would have listened to me, none of this would be happening."

"Listen to you? Do you honestly believe I would stop being Magnus' friend for your sake?" Alec asked. "No, I don't think so. And you can't tell me what to do."

"Are you always this stubborn? Because you're really starting to get on my nerves." Camille growled.

"You already got on my nerves long ago." Alec said with a glare. "So don't push your luck."

Camille was about to say something just as equally threatening, but instead her eyes widened and she glanced behind Alec, who turned around to see what she was looking at. It was Magnus, walking towards them and unaware that they were ready to rip each others heads off. In fact, he looked pretty happy and relaxed.

"What a nice surprise." Magnus smiled once he stopped in front of the two. "What brings you two here?"

"Actually, I was just about to leave. It's not important." Alec said quickly, and before anyone could protest, he turned around and speed walked to his own locker, not wanting to see the stupid smirk on Camille's face.

Alec wasn't really sure if Camille was being serious back there, but he didn't want to stay and find out. Not to mention what he wanted to say to Magnus would kind of reveal the fact that they were going out, and he really didn't want Camille to know that. It would have completely countered with what he had told her moments before.

For a second, Alec even thought of crying, or maybe punching a wall. But he didn't want to do that. He knew he was frustrated, and the best thing to do was pour out his problems and worries onto someone else or just scream into a pillow at home. But still, how could Camille just be so mean to him? When he thought everything was going to be okay, she just had to ruin it all. Not that anything bad happened out of it yet, but just having a conversation with her seemed to put him on edge.

Without even thinking anymore, Alec blindly made his way to the parking lot once he was done at his locker. He didn't feel like dealing with Camille or being near her at this point, so once he got in his car and both of his siblings were present, he was glad to leave the school. He knew he was probably exaggerating, but he couldn't take anything anymore. He didn't need Camille to push his buttons.

And for some reason, Alec suspected this was not going to be the last time Camille would do that.

* * *

The first thing Alec did when he got home was do his homework. He wanted to get his mind off of things and get finish all of his schoolwork as fast as he could. He hated doing it at the last minute, and end up going to bed at midnight. He knew a few people who did that, like Izzy or Jace, and he was surprised they could get up early enough and seem so full of energy the next day.

However, as soon as Alec sat down at his desk, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out and saw that he was getting a call from Magnus. Without hesitation, he answered it, hoping he could talk to his boyfriend for a bit.

"Hey, Magnus." Alec said, trying to sound like nothing was wrong. "What's up?"

"Alright, just tell me what Camille did." Magnus sounded angry on the other line.

"Wait, what? You sound angry..." Alec said slowly.

"Of course I am! You just stormed out of the school without any hesitation as soon as I came along." Magnus explained. "Camille was in a pretty good mood when you left. And guess what she asked me?"

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, letting out an exasperated breath. "What?"

"She asked me out to the dance, that's what." Magnus replied, although this time he sounded less angry. "And you expected me to just answer her on my own?"

"What did you want me to do? She was pissing me off, and I didn't want to deal with her anymore. I would have probably messed up and reveal our secret." Alec said.

Magnus let out a small sigh. "I understand that, Alec, but... I ended up saying yes."

"You... you said yes?" Alec froze, his eyes wide.

"Just as friends, of course." Magnus reassured. "Do you want her suspecting us any more than she already does? Since you're not ready to come out yet, I figured I could just go with her as a friend, but we can still hang out anyway. It's no big deal."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, it's just... this is _Camille _we're talking about."

"Hey, she's still my friend, you know?" Magnus pointed out. "Although I admit she's gotten a little catty lately, so I don't blame you. But don't worry about it, okay? This doesn't mean anything."

"I know, but..."

"You're not jealous, are you?"

"No!" Alec said quickly. He then sighed. "Okay, maybe a _little_."

"How cute." Magnus said teasingly. "Come on sweetheart, don't be jealous. Nothing will happen, trust me. You can trust me, right?"

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?" Alec asked. "I just get jealous easily, I guess."

"I'll keep that in mind." Magnus said a little too mischievously. "So, what are you doing?"

"Well, I was doing my homework until you called."

"Good thing I called then." Magnus joked. "Wanna chat for a bit?"

"Sure," Alec smiled.

* * *

It was only two weeks before the dance, and Isabelle was already talking about getting a dress for the occasion. Alec reminded her that she already had plenty, but she kept reminding him that she, Clary and Maia all had this idea of going to the dance wearing a dress with Christmas colors. Clary would wear green, Maia would wear red, and Isabelle would wear white. Apparently, she didn't own a white dress. Alec thought she was just making up an excuse to go shopping.

To make matters worse, all three girls were forcing their dates to come along with them. It was Isabelle's idea, but Clary and Maia made no signs of disagreeing. Since Jace had to go, he begged Alec to come along with him. Jordan did the same with Sebastian, and both friends eventually gave in. When Magnus heard everyone was going shopping, he immediately wanted to go. And of course, Camille only wanted to go because Magnus was. So basically, in the end, the whole gang was going.

Alec didn't particularly mind going shopping. Well, usually he hated going, but since it was with all his friends, it would be a lot more fun. Besides, the dance was pretty casual, so Alec didn't have to go looking for a tux. In fact, maybe one of his button down shirts would do. He probably didn't have to buy anything, unless Isabelle or Magnus found a way to make him try something on.

Isabelle was ready early on Saturday. She showered, dressed and put on her makeup before Alec could even get out of bed. He was rudely awakened by his sister, who shook him violently and told him to get up, calling his name over and over. It only took him five seconds before he got annoyed and threw a pillow at her, grumbling in response. She retreated out of his room, closing the door behind her. But Alec knew she was probably still standing there, because he could see a shadow through the doorway.

Alec took his time getting ready, but didn't take too long, because he knew his sister would complain. Based on the information he got from her, they were supposed to meet up with the others at the mall at noon, so they could have lunch and spend the whole afternoon shopping. It was only ten, but Alec supposed Isabelle was pretty excited. Besides, the mall was only about twenty minutes away.

By the time Alec was done getting ready, there was still about an hour and a half left before noon, so the two siblings decided to watch some television with their little brother, who was still in his pajamas. Isabelle wasn't necessarily watching the show, because she was texting the whole time, telling Alec how excited she was about today. Alec groaned in response, and looked over at his brother, very envious that he was staying home doing nothing.

When they finally got to the mall, which was overly-decorated with Christmas decorations and playing tacky holiday music, they found Clary, Jace and Simon at the cafeteria. Apparently no one else had arrived, which disappointed Alec a bit. He was stuck watching Isabelle hug and cling to Simon, and Jace and Clary staring at each other dreamily as they spoke. Alec was stuck staring at the table in silence. Luckily for him, that didn't last long, because Magnus and Camille arrived next.

"Hey, guys." Magnus greeted, taking a seat across from Alec. Camille sat down next to her best friend, avoiding Alec's eyes. "I guess we're still waiting for Jordan, Maia and Sebastian?"

"Yeah, they're always the last ones to show up." Isabelle said. "Probably because they all live the farthest away from the mall."

"I just got a text from Jordan." Jace cut in, looking at his cellphone. "He said they're five minutes away."

"Good, because I'm starving." Simon said, patting his stomach.

"But didn't you have a big breakfast this morning?" Clary asked curiously.

"So?" Simon shrugged, and that caused everyone, including Clary, to laugh. Everyone knew Simon loved to eat. Alec was surprised he was still so skinny.

About five minutes later, Jordan, Maia and Sebastian showed up at the cafeteria like they predicted. The three of them seemed pretty hungry too, so everyone but the four girls went to order what they wanted. Isabelle was the one who suggested that the guys get the food for them, since it was only common courtesy. No one seemed to argue. It's not like Alec or Sebastian had to order for anyone else.

Not everyone wanted the same thing, and luckily the cafeteria had a very large variety to choose from. Alec and Magnus decided to head over to Subway's counter, since Camille wanted a sub from there. Alec didn't mind what he ate, and neither did Magnus, so they just decided to take something from there as well. The two stood in line, not saying anything for a few minutes, until Alec decided to break the ice.

"Camille seems mad at me." he said hesitantly.

"Not at all." Magnus replied sarcastically, and Alec smiled a little, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure she's ecstatic to see you."

"I'm sure she is."

"Look, Camille seems to have calmed down quite a bit, ever since I agreed going to the dance with her. So I'm sure you'll be fine today. In fact, don't even worry about her, okay?" Magnus explained, staring into Alec's eyes seriously.

"Okay," he nodded, feeling only a little better. Although mention of the dance didn't really help all that much.

Magnus nudged him softly, a subtle sign of affection between them. "Can I see a smile?"

"No," Alec replied, but as soon as he said so, the smallest of smiles played on his lips once more, and the two laughed.

Once the guys were done ordering and buying their food, they went back to their table where the four girls were patiently waiting. However, everyone immediately started eating their food once it was handed to them, which proved how hungry they were. Alec had to admit he was pretty hungry himself, since he and Isabelle hadn't eaten breakfast. Unfortunately, lunch passed by way too quickly for Alec, and he was really regretting coming to the mall. Sure, it would be a lot more fun with his friends, but it didn't help when Camille glared at him every time their eyes met.

As everyone walked together in one big group, Alec noticed a few things. Jace had his arm wrapped around Clary's waist, Jordan had his arm wrapped around Maia's shoulders, and Isabelle and Simon were holding hands. Alec did a double take when he saw that. He couldn't help commenting on that, since, last time he checked, they were not dating. Unless he missed out on something.

"Izzy," Alec said, and said person glanced at him. "Why are you and Simon holding hands?"

"Why else? We're dating." she replied, as if that wasn't obvious enough.

"Wait, what? You are?" Alec pointed at the both of them, his eyes wide. "Since when?"

"Come on, bro, get with the program." Jace teased, and Clary chuckled softly.

"Since yesterday. So I guess you're not too far behind." Isabelle replied.

"Is that why I could hear you talking on the phone way passed midnight last night?" Alec asked annoyingly. His sister nodded, and he groaned. "Of course, I should have known." There was a pause. "Wait, then how come you know, Jace?"

"Simon told Clary, who then told me." he said with a shrug. "Not sure if anyone else knows."

"I didn't." Maia said, glancing at the new couple. "But I'm so glad to hear that you guys."

"Thanks," Isabelle and Simon said in unison. They glanced at each other and smiled.

"Actually, I think only Clary and Jace knew." Sebastian added. "But I'm surprised you didn't know about this, Alec."

"Well, in my defense, Isabelle is always calling or texting Simon. It was kind of hard to tell the difference." Isabelle's brother replied simply.

"We don't talk that much." Simon frowned a little, but he probably knew that they actually did talk a lot, because a blush crept up on his face. Everyone laughed at Simon's reaction.

It took a few minutes for Isabelle to finally decide on the first store she wanted to check out. Since Clary and Maia weren't big shoppers like her, and Camille didn't really mind herself, Isabelle took it upon herself to pick out all the best stores to buy dresses. Apparently she knew all the good ones, but couldn't quite pick one to start with. Alec would never understand girls and their shopping.

As soon as they stepped into the first store, Sebastian made his way to a free bench to sit down. He was getting annoyed walking with the boot and wanted to take as many breaks as possible. While Jace, Jordan and Simon stayed near their girlfriends, and Magnus was wandering around the store looking at the men's selection, Alec decided to sit down with Sebastian and chat with him for a bit. He was definitely going to avoid his sister or Magnus in case they forced him to try something on.

The group wandered from store to store, enjoying looking at all the different choices they had. Isabelle kept insisting that she could always find a better dress every time she tried one on, but Alec didn't really see a difference. He thought all the white dresses she tried on looked nice on her. Clary and Maia liked the ones they had tried on, but didn't mind looking around some more, as long as they could go back if they didn't like anything else.

However, while Sebastian and Alec were sitting on another bench in another store, just talking about random stuff, that was when Isabelle and Magnus both walked up to him, looking a little excited. That got Alec a little worried, and he and Sebastian exchanged a questioning glance.

"Alec," Isabelle said sweetly, taking on her cute face. "You know I love you, right?"

"What do you want?" Alec sighed.

"We need you to try something on for us." Magnus replied, and he brought his hands out from behind his back—he didn't even notice he was hiding them in the first place—and showed him dark khakis as well as a dark blue button down shirt with white stripes. Alec rolled his eyes.

"I'm not trying anything on." he replied, crossing his arms.

"Well, I'd like to see you try it on." Sebastian said, which caused Alec to glare at him. "What? All I've been doing is sitting around. I'm bored."

"Just this one outfit." Isabelle promised, clasping her hands together. "Please, Alec?"

"Fine," Alec sighed, and sat up from the bench. Sebastian was a little slower as he cautiously got up, being careful with the boot on his foot. The four then walked towards the changing rooms, where the rest of their friends were.

"Here, go in this changing room." Isabelle said, practically shoving him towards it. Magnus handed him the outfit, and he barely had a chance to utter a word before one of them closed the door. Alec let out another exasperated sigh as he slowly stripped himself down to try on the clothes his sister and boyfriend picked out for him.

Alec slipped on the khakis first, making sure that they fit properly. Thinking it was pretty comfortable, he put on the button down shirt, buttoning it up except for the last one at the top. He looked at himself in the mirror for a minute, and actually thought the outfit looked pretty nice. It was comfortable and pretty casual, so it seemed perfect for the dance. He had to admit he was a little excited to show Isabelle and Magnus how he looked in it.

When he stepped outside, he didn't expect everyone to be glancing at him. Clary and Maia were probably in the changing rooms, but everyone else was standing outside, as if waiting for Alec. He took on a surprised look and felt all embarrassed as smiles appeared on each of their faces. Except for Camille, of course. She had her arms crossed over a short red dress.

"Look at you, Alec." Jace whistled. "Looking pretty good."

"There's just one problem." Magnus said as he stepped up to Alec. He reached for his collar and unbuttoned one button. "Always have two loose buttons. Always. Three if you're feeling adventurous."

"I'll keep that in mind." Alec said, suddenly having a hard time swallowing. Magnus smiled at him, and kept his fingers lingering a little longer than necessary at his collar.

"Now _that _looks better." Isabelle commented. "Good thing I'm not the only one who knows about these fashion tips."

"Good thing." Magnus agreed, keeping his eyes on Alec. "I think we picked out a good outfit. This one looks pretty great on you."

"Thanks," Alec started to feel his face heat up, and he quickly looked away in order to avoid further embarrassment. He glanced over at Camille, who looked a little pissed off. Obviously she saw those little signs. He decided to look away from her too.

"Well, now that Alec has an outfit, let's move on to someone else." Isabelle said, a wide smile on her face as she scanned the rest of her friends. "Simon! Why don't we get something for you?"

"Oh, um, sure. I guess." he shrugged, not wanting to disagree with his new girlfriend. Alec knew he hated shopping just as much as he did, so he couldn't help but chuckle. Now it was someone else's turn to suffer instead of him.

As soon as Alec got changed into his regular clothes and went to buy his new outfit, he went to join his friends who were still at the changing rooms. He saw that the girls were done trying stuff on, however Simon was now being forced to try something on by Isabelle. The rest of the guys were chuckling at their poor friend. Magnus wasn't among them; he was probably still wandering around the store admiring everything that he could try on. Alec decided to walk up to him, instead of joining Camille and the others.

"Still trying to find something for yourself?" Alec asked once he approached his boyfriend.

"I already have something picked out at home. I'm just looking around, is all. It's hard to not look at the variety around here, you know?" Magnus replied, looking through a pile of skinny jeans.

"I'll never understand your shopping addiction." Alec shook his head. "You act like such a girl sometimes."

"Maybe so, but I think we know who wears the pants in this relationship." Magnus glanced at Alec and grinned. "It's obviously me."

"You? No way." Alec smiled from ear to ear.

Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when someone came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. It was Camille, of course, probably wanting to butt in the conversation. Alec's smile vanished completely.

"Alec, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked with a fake smile on her face. "Alone."

"Sure," he replied slowly, and he glanced at Magnus before following Camille off into a quiet corner of the store, where they were far from everyone else. Alec looked at Camille, whose smile had disappeared and was now replaced with a frown.

"Okay, this has to stop." she said.

"What has to stop?"

"You and Magnus." Camille replied. "You say there's nothing going on between you two, but I could see the looks you were giving each other even since you got here, and it's been driving me nuts."

"Not this again." Alec rolled his eyes and sighed. "Just let it go, Camille."

"I will not let it go." she said stubbornly. "Not unless you tell me what's really going on."

"There's nothing going on!"

"Fine," Camille crossed her arms over her chest, and stared at him venomously. If looks could kill, Alec could swear he would be dead by now. "Then just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Stay away from Magnus."

**Okay, so please don't kill me. I know you were all looking forward to Alec coming out to his parents, but I still have a few ideas before that happens. I actually knew I was going to do this a while ago, so I'm sorry if you're disappointed! I won't hold it off for too long, but I just wanted to put this in here. There are still many people whose parents will disown them if they find out they're homosexual, or will dislike them for it, so I thought this was important for Alec. And I'm not offending Catholics—I'm actually Catholic myself—and it's definitely not all of them who think this way, but this problem still exists. I hope you all understand! Oh, and I've been having ideas for another story. It's another Malec fic, and I'll possibly be starting it once I'm done this one. What do you guys think of the Mortal Instruments cast in a zombie apocalypse? Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter and my new idea! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Now, this is the part where you expect me to say school has kept me busy, right? Well, that's half of it. The other half was writer's block. Seriously, I got stuck half way through the chapter and had no idea what to do. But I finished it now, so that's all that matters, right? Anyway, please enjoy this late chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. Must I say it every time?**

Chapter Sixteen

_Stay away from Magnus..._

Those words echoed in Alec's mind over and over again, angering him every time. When Camille had told him that, he had nothing to say. No words would come out. Thinking she had the last word, she had flipped her hair and stalked off with a smirk on her face. A stupid smirk that Alec wanted to slap right off. But he had more dignity than that. Or maybe it was just his timid personality.

As Alec walked back to Magnus, he told himself to calm down. He had to relax the muscles in his body, which were tense with rage. He didn't want to tell Magnus, because he knew he could deal with this himself. He didn't want to worry him either. His boyfriend already knew that Camille was acting catty, but not that she was threatening him.

"So, what did she want to tell you?" Magnus asked, who was now looking through a clothes rack. He looked up at Alec, his green-yellow eyes curious.

"Nothing important."

Magnus frowned. "I'm sure it had some importance."

"It's fine, really." Alec waved his hand in dismissal.

"Alec," Magnus said in a stern voice, dropping his hands from the clothes rack. His whole body faced his boyfriend now, and he had a serious look on his face. "If she said something that bothered you, or if she hurt you in any way, you will tell me. Right?"

"Of course," Alec swallowed hard, feeling the guilt take over him already. Here Magnus was all concerned for him, and yet he still kept his mouth shut.

Magnus looked like he had something more to say, but only nodded. Alec knew he was safe for now, but he had a feeling that when they would have a chance alone, his boyfriend would start questioning him more. Or at least make sure everything was okay.

After going to a few more stores, Isabelle finally made up her mind and bought what was probably the twentieth white dress she had tried on. Clary and Maia ended up buying one of the first ones they tried on a while back, since they had been satisfied a while ago. Alec could see the relief wash over everyone once Isabelle made her purchase. It was clear everyone was eager to go home after a long day of shopping. Looking at his watch, Alec saw it was five.

The drive home definitely wasn't a quiet one. Isabelle was yapping away about how she was so excited to have found a dress, and how she was even more excited to show it off at the dance in two weeks. Alec was only hearing half of the conversation, and he would sometimes nod and grunt in response when it was necessary, to let Isabelle know he wasn't completely ignoring her. But he mostly kept his attention on the road and on other things.

When Alec finally got home, he was surprised to have not gotten a single text from Magnus. He thought his boyfriend would question him further on what Camille had told him, but he seemed to have changed his mind. Alec was kind of glad, even though Magnus' concern for him was flattering. He just didn't want to explain any of that right now.

However, after dinner, just when Alec thought Magnus wouldn't call or text him for sure, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was a text from Magnus. Alec held his breath for a moment, but exhaled when he saw that it wasn't anything related to Camille.

_I was thinking maybe we should hang tomorrow. What do you think?_

Alec smiled and started typing his reply. _But we just saw each other today. Why again tomorrow?_

_I meant alone. Surely you know that I'm in desperate need of some alone time with my gorgeous boyfriend? ;)_

A blush crept up on Alec's face. _Oh, now I get it. I think we need some alone time too. And I'm not half as gorgeous as you._

_Darling, you're a sight for sore eyes, and don't you forget it! Now who's house?_

_How about mine? We could watch a movie. It'll just be the two of us because Izzy is going to Simon's, and Max is hanging out with his friends. And my parents are working._

_Mm, sounds like a plan. When would you like me to come over?_

_After lunch. That's when everyone will be gone._

_Can't wait, sweetheart ;)_

Just thinking about tomorrow made Alec's heart race. He couldn't get rid of the wide grin on his face, or prevent his body from heating up. Alec enjoyed the way Magnus made him feel, just with a look, a smile, his words or the very thought of him. _Me too._

Alec then made his way to his room and lay on his bed, feeling tired after a long day at the mall. The day wasn't actually that bad. In fact, he had a lot of fun—save for that one comment from Camille—and he always looked forward to hanging out with his friends. Just not at the mall again.

Closing his eyes, Alec started to think about tomorrow, and how fun it would be hanging out with Magnus alone. That thought made him smile, and it was definitely something to look forward to. If he wasn't so tired, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. But he did, after changing into his pajamas and doing a bit of reading in bed. He fell asleep with thoughts of him and Magnus, still with a small smile on his face the whole time.

* * *

"So, what movie do you want to watch?"

Alec and Magnus were sitting on the couch, the television turned on and a stack of movies on the coffee table in front of them. Alec had picked most of them at random, since he didn't mind what they would watch.

"I'm leading more towards this one." Magnus said, pointing to _50 First Dates_, a movie Alec had really enjoyed. He smiled at his boyfriend's decision, and picked up the movie to put it in the DVD player.

"Good choice. Did you ever see it?" Alec asked as he placed the disk on the tray.

"No, which is why I want to watch it." Magnus replied, and he could almost imagine him grinning.

Once Alec had prepared some popcorn and had gotten a blanket from the closet, he sat down next to Magnus. Wrapping the blanket around them and placing the bowl of popcorn on his lap, Alec pressed play on the remote and cuddle up next to Magnus, who had wrapped an arm around his waist to pull him closer.

The two were quiet during most of the movie, except for the constant laughter and commenting on certain things that happened. Other than that, they watched the movie in silence, eating the popcorn as they kept their eyes glued to the television screen.

When the movie finally ended, and it came to the credits, the popcorn bowl was now empty and Magnus and Alec both stretched from being in the same position for the whole movie.

"Well, that was pretty good." Magnus said. "I'm glad I picked that one."

"Told you it was a good choice." Alec stated, and he threw the blanket on the other couch, since it had tangled up around their legs.

"Good job." Magnus said, a smile appearing on his face. He then wrapped his arms around Alec's waist again, and pulled him so close that their noses were touching. Without another word their lips met, and a grin played on Alec's lips as he wrapped his arms around Magnus' neck, their bodies stuck together.

Alec's heart started to race knowing that the two of them were completely alone at home, and probably had a few hours to themselves, which meant there would be no interruptions at all. Just knowing that got him even more excited, and a little nervous. But he didn't feel like pulling away. In fact, he wanted no space between them. That's why he parted his lips so quickly, wanting to taste as much of Magnus as possible.

When Alec and Magnus pulled away to catch their breath, they stared into each others eyes, and it was obvious that there was pure desire and excitement swirling through them. Alec quickly kissed Magnus again, running his hands through his boyfriend's soft black hair. Magnus reacted with a groan and slid his hands under Alec's shirt, running them up and down his back. Then, very slowly, the sparkly boy lay Alec down on the couch, his hands still under his shirt. Without even having to say anything, Alec put his arms above his head, and Magnus pulled the shirt off and threw it next to the couch. The two stared at each other before resuming their kissing.

Alec knew that they hadn't gone this far before—where one or the other had no shirt on—so he wasn't sure what to expect. But he knew that Magnus had done this before, so he obviously knew what he was doing. So Alec would just let things happen the way they did. There was no need to worry.

Magnus then brushed his lips along Alec's jaw and all the way down to his neck, sucking on the sensitive flesh. Alec dug his fingers deeper in Magnus' hair, unable to hold in a moan. He could hear Magnus chuckling against him, and Alec's reactions seemed to have encouraged him, because he trailed his kisses all the way down to his chest, stopping there and looking back up at Alec.

"Tell me if you want me to stop." Magnus said, breathing heavily. Alec only replied with the same labored breathing, showing no signs of wanting to stop.

Alec reached up to kiss Magnus urgently, and grabbed him by the shirt to pull him closer. Magnus placed his hands at the waistband of Alec's jeans, and slid his fingers under them. Alec shivered, the feeling completely new to him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was so loud and fast, he was sure Magnus could hear it. But Alec could hear Magnus' beating heart; it was completely in sync with his. In fact, Magnus stopped trailing his fingers around the waistband of Alec's jeans, and looked straight into Alec's eyes. They both lay still, and listened to their beating hearts for a minute, a smile on each of their faces.

"Can I just say," Magnus said, "that you are the most gorgeous person I have ever met."

Alec's smile widened. "Not as much as you."

Magnus leaned down to whisper in his ear. "I'll show you just how gorgeous I think you are."

As he said so, Magnus playfully nibbled on Alec's ear, causing him to close his eyes contentedly. He could feel Magnus' hands trail all over his exposed torso, and the feeling was something Alec never felt before. It was so exhilarating that it was almost scary, but Alec knew he would always want more of this feeling.

But that was the problem. Alec had never done this before, and didn't have any control when Magnus was kissing and touching him like this. What if things got too far, or this wasn't supposed to happen? What if he ended up doing something he regretted, even if it was with someone he truly cared about? He didn't want to rush things, but he didn't want to disappoint Magnus either. Or his parents.

As soon as his parents entered his mind, that's when everything went downhill. Just going out with another boy would surely upset Alec's parents immensely. What if they caught him doing _this _with Magnus? They would definitely get very angry and do who knows what. So, was this even right? Was the guilt he would feel after really be worth it?

Alec's thoughts were interrupted when Magnus suddenly went still. He had his hands on Alec's stomach, but he was looking right at Alec. He had a worried look on his face, as if something had gone wrong. Magnus obviously knew that there was something going on through Alec's mind; he probably had this weird look on his face while he was thinking.

"What's wrong?" Magnus asked, his hands resting on each side of Alec now. "You look like you've eaten something sour. And I hope it's not because of me."

"No," Alec shook his head, his bangs flying in front of his eyes. "It's not you, it's... I don't know."

Magnus raised an eyebrow in confusion, and slowly sat up on the couch, taking Alec's hands and bringing him up with him. He looked completely serious, and Alec was almost surprised that Magnus could become so playful one second and serious the next.

"Come on, you can tell me what's bothering you." Magnus reassured, squeezing his hands lightly.

Alec looked down at their hands. "Is this right?"

"What do you mean?" Magnus asked confusingly. Alec slowly looked back up at him and saw realization light up his face. "Is this about your parents?"

Alec didn't answer. He just stared at his boyfriend, too ashamed to say that his parents were actually the problem here. For some reason, he imagined Magnus getting all frustrated and upset with him, but he only let out a small sigh.

"Look, let me ask you something." Magnus started. "Does this feel right to you?"

"Yes," Alec replied without hesitation.

"Then why are you questioning it? If it feels right to you, then it is. This," Magnus motioned to their hands, "is completely normal. No matter what your parents might think about it. So never doubt that what you're doing is some sort of mistake, okay?"

"Yeah, you're right. But sometimes I wonder, you know? After that conversation, I just started thinking sometimes. But I never mentioned it before because I care too much about you, Magnus. And I don't want this getting in the way of our relationship." Alec explained.

"I care about you, too." Magnus smiled. "And I'll do anything to get you to stop thinking like that. I understand why you would think like that sometimes, but I'll help you understand that it's perfectly fine. Just because your dad doesn't like the idea of same-sex couples doesn't mean everyone else will."

"Of course," Alec nodded. "It's just hard sometimes."

"I know." Magnus rubbed the top of Alec's hand with his thumb in a reassuring gesture. "But, is there something else that stopped you?"

"What do you mean, something else?"

"Maybe we're going too fast." Magnus explained. "I know this whole thing is new to you, and to be honest I hadn't thought about it until now. All I was thinking about was... well, other things."

"Well, I guess that's part of it." Alec blushed. "Sorry if I ruined the mood. I'm probably super lame."

"Of course not, darling. I find it extremely adorable. Even though it kills me to wait until you're ready, I'll do it." Magnus said, and Alec couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks, Magnus."

"It's no problem. And I'm glad you were able to tell me what you were truly feeling." Magnus then smiled mischievously. "But we can still make out right?"

"Of course," Alec chuckled.

"With your shirt off?"

"Yes," Alec then frowned. "But sometimes you have to take your shirt off too, you know."

"Don't worry about that, I will." Magnus said, and he placed his lips on Alec's once more.

* * *

When Magnus had left, Alec put away all the movies stacked on the coffee table. He even washed the popcorn bowl and put it back in its place. Instead of folding the blanket and putting it in the closet, he wrapped it around himself once more, because it was getting pretty cold this time around. Grabbing the remote and turning on the television, he tried looking for something good that was playing.

Not that much later, Isabelle and Max had come home. Alec had let his sister take his car, so long as she drove their younger brother to his friend's house and picked him up on the way. Isabelle didn't argue with that agreement; she probably just wanted to hang out with Simon anyway, not caring what she had to do for it.

Max had immediately gone to his room, only greeting Alec briefly on his way there. Isabelle sat on the couch beside him, phone in hand. She had only looked at it for a few seconds before glancing at Alec, who was wrapped up in the blanket.

"So how was your afternoon?" Isabelle asked.

"It was good." Alec replied, his eyes glued to the television. "You?"

"Good," his sister answered, and stared at Alec in silence for a bit. "Aren't you warm?"

"I guess, but I'm too comfortable."

Isabelle rolled her eyes, and reached over to pull the blanket wrapped around Alec's body. He moved around as she took it away and threw it on the other couch, not bothering to put it away. She was probably too lazy to get up, anyway. Alec mumbled his thanks, and Isabelle smiled a little. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes suddenly grew wide in shock.

"Alec, what's that?" she asked, and before he could process her question, she reached over and pulled the collar of his shirt down. "Is that a hickey?"

Alec suddenly jumped out of his sister's grasp, his face reddening. He placed a hand over his neck in embarrassment. "What?"

"Yeah, right under there." Isabelle said, poking the hand covering it. Alec slapped her hand away in frustration, clearly unamused. She giggled in response, obviously enjoying this. "Your face is as red as a tomato!"

"This is serious, Iz! What if mom and dad see this? Or someone at school? I'll be so screwed." Alec practically yelled, making frantic movements with his hands.

"Okay, relax. You can easily cover that up with a little bit of makeup. I'll even do it for you." Isabelle explained, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder.

Alec nodded slowly, but then frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I've done it before." Isabelle shrugged. "Besides, everyone knows you can cover up just about anything with makeup."

Alec didn't want to question further on Isabelle's knowledge concerning _that_, so he only sighed. "You sure it'll cover it up?"

"Yeah, for sure. Just let me see it for a second." his sister said, and Alec reluctantly pulled the collar of his shirt a little to reveal it completely. Isabelle got closer so she could see it better, and whistled softly. "Wow, Magnus sure left a good one."

"Oh, shut up." Alec pulled away and blushed even more. "You said you were going to help me cover it up, not comment on it."

"Sorry," Isabelle smiled, not sounding very sorry. "But how can I _not_? I mean, look at it."

"Stop!" Alec covered the hickey with his hand again, frowning. Isabelle burst into laughter.

"Oh, Alec, my dear brother. You are _way _too easy to tease." she said, still chuckling.

"Yeah, that's what everyone says." he mumbled, trying to hide the embarrassing mark by lifting his collar up, but it didn't do much good. He let out an annoyed sigh.

"So," Isabelle said, obviously changing the subject. "What are you going to do about the dance?"

"I don't know," Alec shrugged. "Camille and Magnus are going together. We're just going to be hanging out as friends. That's all."

"And you're okay with that?"

"I guess," Alec shrugged, playing with the hem of his shirt. "I don't have any other choice, do I?"

"You should. But I guess if you're still not ready, there's nothing you can do." Isabelle agreed. "But since Camille and Magnus are going as friends, it's not so bad, right?"

"Uh-huh," Alec agreed.

"Everything will be fine." Isabelle smiled, but when Alec didn't look at her—he seemed very interested in a loose thread at the end of his shirt—that smile slowly vanished. "Sorry,"

"Look, let's not talk about this right now, okay?" Alec said, finally looking over at his sister. "Can you help me cover this thing on my neck before mom and dad get home?"

Isabelle nodded her head slowly. "Sure,"

* * *

Alec had a hard time concentrating in science class on Monday. It was first period, and he was sitting near the front of the class, Magnus seated behind him and Jordan and Sebastian on his left, as usual. Alec was tapping the desk with his pencil repeatedly and shaking his leg at the same time. He would usually do that when he was anxious or nervous, and Alec was pretty much both. Isabelle had covered up his hickey once again this morning. Knowing it was there, even though it wasn't visible to everyone, still got on Alec's nerves. That's why he decided to wear a sweatshirt with a hood to cover up most of his neck just in case something happened.

Alec kept glancing at Magnus, who kept hitting the back of the chair with his foot. His boyfriend would only smile in response, slumped in the chair lazily.

"Nice sweatshirt," Magnus mumbled, and Alec rolled his eyes, turning back around to face the blackboard and trying to listen to his teacher. "It's got your last name on it in the back and everything. How cute."

Alec had almost forgotten that the gray sweatshirt he had randomly picked from his closet had been the one he bought at school last year. He thought it would be nice to have something from school at the time, and he remembered that the student could decide to put a word at the back of their piece of clothing. Alec decided to put his last name—he hadn't thought very creatively—and besides, everyone on his soccer team did the same thing. It was sort of a trend.

"I didn't even notice." Alec said, who had twisted around in his seat to face Magnus again. "I just saw it in my closet and took it."

"Alec," the teacher said sternly. "Turn around and be quiet."

Said person turned red in embarrassment and turned around to look at his slightly annoyed teacher. She shook her head and continued on with the lesson. Alec could hear Magnus chuckling softly behind him, and Alec turned his head slightly to frown at him.

When the teacher was done explaining the lesson and had passed the homework—she usually liked to give a good twenty minutes to let everyone start their homework so they had less to do at home—Alec turned around to work with Magnus. Well, more like talk to him.

"Guess what you did to me?" Alec started.

"I could name many things, all which are highly inappropriate to talk about at school. So I'll let you say it this time." Magnus said, a wide smile on his face.

Alec rolled his eyes, then said in a whisper, "You gave me a hickey."

"So?"

"What do you mean, _so_? Isabelle had to cover it up yesterday so my parents couldn't see it, and again this morning so no one else can." Alec said.

"Oh, you mean the one right there?" Magnus asked, squinting his eyes and pointing at Alec's neck.

"What?" Alec asked shockingly, immediately covering up his neck with his hand. "You can see it?"

"No," Magnus laughed. "Your sister did a good job, no worries."

Alec let out a heavy sigh. "You're such an ass."

"Oh, so now we're talking about my ass?"

"Don't change the subject." Alec hissed under his breath. "Just wanted to let you know that this hickey nearly scared me half to death. I was seriously freaking out for a few minutes."

"Aw, I'm sorry." Magnus apologized teasingly. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Not with another hickey." Alec mumbled, and the two chuckled at his little joke.

"You sure are chatty today." their teacher said, who had suddenly appeared at Magnus' desk. "Apparently your little conversations are more important than my classes or my homework?"

"Sorry," Alec said timidly. "We're getting to work."

The teacher said nothing. She just crossed her arms and sighed before walking off to probably go nag another group of students. Alec liked his teacher, but sometimes she could be a little too strict and nosy for his taste. When she was out of earshot, Magnus shook his head.

"Gosh, Alec. You're such a terrible student." he said, wagging his index finger in disapproval.

"Speak for yourself," Alec snapped back, grabbing his pencil and reading the first question of the homework. However, he couldn't get rid of the small smile appearing on his face. He could never pretend to be serious around Magnus when they were playing around.

When lunch came along, and everyone had taken a seat at their usual table and started eating their food, the conversation immediately led to the dance that was coming up very soon. It seemed like everyone in the group was very eager for it.

"So, let's talk about transportation." Jace said. "Clary is carpooling with me. Anyone else need a ride?"

"No, I think we're all good." Jordan said. "Seb, you're coming with Maia and I, right?"

"Actually, I'm bringing my date." he replied, seeming very interested in his sandwich.

"You have a date?" Isabelle asked, gasping dramatically. "Wow, since when? Who is she?"

"I asked her to the dance a few days ago." Sebastian replied, and Alec could swear he saw him blushing a little. "And it's Rachael from my history class."

"Oh, _that_ Rachael?" Isabelle smiled widely. "She's so pretty. And not to mention smart."

"Yeah," Sebastian nodded his head in agreement, and this time Alec knew he was blushing. He stared down at his lunch and took a bite from his sandwich so he wouldn't be able to say anything else.

"That's awesome, man." Jordan smiled, patting his friend's back.

"I thought you were going solo?" Magnus said. "Remember when we talked about how going to the dance without a date was better than going with one?"

"Well, I guess I changed my mind." Sebastian explained once he swallowed his food. "Besides, you kind of broke that rule too. You're going with Camille, aren't you?"

"As friends," Magnus corrected. It was a good thing Camille wasn't here. She would have insisted they were going as a couple, even though she specifically told Alec they would be going as friends. "Technically, she's not my date."

"Whatever you say." Jordan grinned slightly. "Looks like poor Alec is the only one without a date. How could you two betray him like that?"

"Betray?" Sebastian and Magnus asked in unison, and everyone laughed. Alec couldn't help but chuckle, but on the inside he was a little upset that everyone had a date, while he didn't. In fact, he _should_ be going with Magnus, but there was the fact that no one knew of his secret. Sometimes he hated keeping big things like this from everyone.

"It's fine, really." Alec reassured, and smiled to emphasize his point. But Magnus seemed to have looked closely at the look in his eyes, because he looked at him with a sad smile.

"Wow, so you're driving your sister and Simon to the dance, while you're just going solo?" Jordan said. "That's kind of... sad."

"It's not sad. Maybe I'll just hook up with someone at the dance." Alec wasn't completely lying. He wished he could hook up with Magnus, or maybe they could keep it a secret somehow. But with Camille going as his date—as a friend—he wasn't sure if he could get Magnus alone anyway.

"You? Hook up with some random girl at the dance? That's not like you, Alec." Jace said, a smile on his face. Alec only shrugged in response.

"What about your brother, Clary?" Maia asked after a moment of silence. "Did he offer to give you a ride to the dance?"

"No," Clary shook her head. "He's driving Natasha. He hasn't offered to give me any rides for a while now, actually."

"Now that you mention it, you're right." Jace agreed. "He's too caught up with Natasha. I'm surprised."

"Me too. I mean, Natasha is actually kind of nice." Isabelle said. "Jonathan is... not. No offense, Clary."

"None taken." Clary smiled slightly. "She stayed for supper at our house a few times. She's definitely nicer than my brother."

Almost simultaneously, everyone turned their heads in the direction of Jonathan's usual table. As it always was every day, the couple sat side by side, Jonathan's arm wrapped around his girlfriend's waist, Natasha being as close as she could to him. That table was always loud, full of football players and cheerleaders talking and laughing animatedly. Not that Natasha was a cheerleader, but she had pretty much become part of the crew ever since she started dating Jonathan. Jace, Jordan and Isabelle were invited to sit at that table any time, but they always refused.

"I think your brother seems almost nicer when he's with Natasha." Isabelle commented, seeing that Jonathan was smiling widely at his girlfriend. "It's weird."

"Well, let's not complain about that." Sebastian said. "As long as he stops being an ass to us, it's fine with me."

"Yeah, he's a lot more tolerable at home sometimes." Clary said. "Emphasis on _sometimes_."

Everyone laughed at that, and Alec couldn't help but wonder if Jonathan had actually changed. It was true, what everyone had pointed out. He seemed to be nicer ever since he started dating Natasha. When he wasn't with her, he would usually go back to his old hateful self, but other than that, he was actually approachable. Maybe Jonathan had even forgotten about that meaningless threat with Magnus at the beginning of the year.

Alec suddenly smiled, turning back around to face his friends. Just when he thought he couldn't get rid of his problems, one always seemed to just disappear.

* * *

As the winter break came closer, people got more and more excited. The last day was always something to look forward to, since there was the Christmas show during last period and the dance after school. Not to mention the teachers would always give a relaxed class, by either doing a small activity or just letting the students do whatever they wanted, to a certain extent of course.

The PSA—Program Specialized in Arts—were working pretty hard with the Christmas show as well. That program consisted of the three major art programs in the school: visual arts, drama and music. The Art Club took care of the decorations and costumes, the Drama Club did sketches in between each act, and the Music Club was in charge of the music that they would be composing themselves. The school always worked pretty hard when it came to talent shows or things of the like.

However, everyone else could take part in the events on the last day before the holidays. The school encouraged the students to help set up the gymnasium for the dance. It was Christmas themed, of course, so people would be painting fake snowflakes, Christmas trees and other stuff courtesy of the wood shop, and putting up other decorations as well. Not that everyone was enthusiastic about it, but it was better than getting a bunch of homework after school.

That's why for the last week before the holidays, Alec and most of his friends were volunteering to decorate the gymnasium after school. The whole football and soccer team had volunteered, and as well as the cheerleaders, so there were plenty of people to help around. Right now, Alec was painting a wooden Christmas tree, dipping the paintbrush in the forest green paint and being careful not to drip too much on his shoes.

"Nice tree, Alec." a familiar male voice said behind him. Slowly, he turned around and saw Jace smiling with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Thanks," Alec smiled back, and bent down to dip the paintbrush in the paint again. "I'm not much of a painter, but it's not too hard."

"Need help?" Jace asked, tilting his head to the side. "I'm done with my tree."

"Sure," Alec nodded, glad that he wasn't going to be alone anymore. Since Magnus, Camille and Clary were part of the Art Club, they were taking care of other things and couldn't help them out in the gym. Alec tried not to feel annoyed that Camille was spending time with Magnus.

Together, Alec and Jace could paint the tree a lot faster. They didn't say much at first; just stayed in a comfortable silence most of the time. But Jace was the one who started the conversation.

"So, are you okay being the only one without a date to the dance?" Jace asked, painting a red ornament on the dry green paint.

"Yeah," Alec said slowly, trying to sound convincing. It didn't seem to work, because Jace looked at him with a sympathetic look. "I'm okay with it, really."

"You're not okay with it." Jace stated, setting his paintbrush on the open can of paint. "And don't you dare lie to me."

Alec sighed. "So what if it bothers me? Wouldn't it bother anyone? I mean, all of my friends have a date besides me, which really sucks."

It was Jace's turn to sigh. "I understand that. But we're all going to be hanging out as a group, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

It actually did matter to Alec, but he didn't want to say that out loud. Since Camille and Magnus were going together, he knew that she would not leave Magnus alone. She would probably be glaring at Alec the whole time, too. It would be a pretty terrible dance.

"Yeah, but everyone is going to be dancing with their dates, and I'll be alone." Alec explained. "Not that I like dancing too much, but I'll just be the odd one out."

"I know," Jace closed his eyes for a second, looking frustrated. When he opened them, he was looking straight at his best friend. "But we're mostly going to be dancing all together as a big group. You'll forget that we all came with a date."

"Except for the slow dances." Alec pointed out.

"Yes, but... well, that's different."

"Look, you asked me if it bothered me or not, and you demanded the truth. So I gave it to you. There's nothing we can do about it now, so just let it go, alright?"

A look of disappointment and sympathy washed over Jace's features. "But I don't want you being miserable during the whole dance. There must be something I can do."

"I won't be miserable." Alec shrugged, but he refused to look at his best friend as he said so. "It'll be fun, except for the slow dances. It'll just be awkward for me, that's all."

"If you want, I can just hang out with you during one slow dance. That way you won't be alone." Jace suggested, but Alec quickly shook his head.

"No, you don't have to do that for me." he insisted, but before anything else could be said, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"What are you two girlies talking about?" Alec and Jace both looked over and saw Isabelle standing a few feet away with her arms crossed over her chest. "Have you even been painting?"

"You should speak for yourself, Izzy." Jace smiled slyly. "I haven't seen you anywhere near here. Too busy making out with Simon?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes, and before Alec could say anything, his sister said, "First of all, I have painted my share of trees. And second, that is none of your business. We all know you would be doing the same thing if Clary were here."

Jace shrugged. "I never said _I _wouldn't do such a thing."

"Wait, I think Clary would rather paint than make out with you. She does love that stuff." Isabelle pointed out, her smile matching Jace's.

"No, she loves _this _stuff more." Jace replied, gesturing to himself with both hands.

Isabelle let out a small snort. "Yeah, right."

"This is slightly disturbing." Alec commented, and the other two laughed. "Anything you came here for, Izzy?"

"Not really." Isabelle admitted. "I just came here out of curiosity."

"Oh, so watching us painting trees is that fascinating?" Jace asked.

"You weren't painting. You two were talking with the most serious looks on your faces." Isabelle corrected. "What were you two talking about, anyway?"

"How I'm probably the most gorgeous guy at this school." Jace replied with a silly grin.

"Seriously," Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"About how I'm the only one without a date at the dance this week." Alec answered seriously, looking at his sister with an equally serious expression.

Isabelle's small smile disappeared, and so did Jace's. "Oh, I see. And... you're okay with that?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded, and when Jace looked over at him, he looked back at him sternly. The blond boy seemed to have understood, because he kept his mouth shut and looked back at Isabelle with a reassuring nod. He obviously knew Alec didn't want him bringing up their conversation again with anyone else. Not now.

Not when the answer was clearly _no_.

**I apologize for the late update yet again. Hopefully I'll be able to put up the next chapter a lot faster this time. Just so you all know, the next chapter will be Alec and the others going to the winter themed dance, as well as a few other things. So look forward to that! Oh, and one more thing. I put up a poll on my profile page, so if you guys would like to go check it out and vote, I would really appreciate that. It only takes a few seconds, after all. Thanks in advance! Bye! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**I wasn't expecting to take this long. But I was pretty busy with school and I got stuck again during this chapter, as usual. But no worries, I still have ideas for this story, and I'm not giving up on it! That's the last thing I'm going to do. And as for the poll I had put up on my profile page, I would really appreciate it if you guys voted! It takes a few seconds, and it would really help me out. It'll be up for a while, so I'm counting on a lot of votes! Anyway, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing.**

Chapter Seventeen

The end of the week came way too fast for Alec. While everyone else breathed a sigh of relief for the end of the long week, Alec was the only one not looking forward to this day. The school day would be alright—with the school talent show and lazy classes—but after school would be a living nightmare. It might seem like he was overreacting, but Alec didn't care. No one really knew how he felt, except for Magnus. But there was nothing he could do.

The actual school day passed by pretty fast. Probably because Alec was dreading what was to happen afterward. Before he knew it, he and his class were heading to the auditorium to watch the school talent show. He was missing science, so Magnus, Sebastian and Jordan were walking next to him as they got to their destination.

As they got into the auditorium, the teacher directed them to the row of seats they were supposed to sit at. Maia's class so happened to be occupying the rows in front of their class. Jordan quickly made his way towards her, taking a seat right behind her and tapping her on the shoulder. Maia turned around and smiled, and they immediately started a conversation. Alec, Magnus and Sebastian managed to catch up to him and take their seats.

"You guys are so cute together." the girl sitting beside Maia said dreamily, after a few minutes of the couple conversing. "I'm totally jealous."

Jordan and Maia only laughed, and glanced back at each other with a look in their eyes that Alec recognized all too much. That's how he and Magnus looked at each other when no one else was around. When it was just the two of them and no secrets had to be kept from anyone around them. Just looking at his two friends and seeing how happy they were made Alec feel sad. Not in the sense that he wasn't glad for them, or in the sense that he didn't have someone to share those feelings with too, but because he couldn't be like that in front of everyone. Jordan and Maia could be themselves in front of all of their friends and family, and be happy all the time. But Alec and Magnus couldn't be like that. All because Alec was too afraid.

And he hated it. If he were Magnus, he would be so frustrated. He would be mad and upset that he couldn't show everyone how much he loved someone else. No one could tell them how cute they looked together, or say they wished they could be just like that. No one could be happy for them. It was only a happiness Alec and Magnus could share. And maybe that wouldn't be enough. That very thought scared Alec more than he thought it could.

As if he could somehow read Alec's thoughts, Magnus glanced over at him. The two stared at each other for a minute, as if they could communicate with their minds. But all Alec could really see was how Magnus' eyes showed worry and sympathy. Those same eyes that always captivated Alec and always drew him in. If they weren't at school, in front of all these people, Alec would have kissed him right then and there. And with the look Magnus was now giving him, he could tell he was thinking the same thing.

"Hey, the show's about to start." Sebastian's voice snapped Alec back to reality. He was right, because the lights around the auditorium slowly dimmed into darkness, and instead illuminated the stage, where people were now stepping onto. Everyone started to clap, anticipating a great show.

The talent show was starting off very well, and as it went on, Alec was really enjoying it. However, sometimes he would find himself wandering off and thinking about Jordan and Maia's relationship, as well as his and Magnus' relationship. He started having the same train of thoughts he had before, which caused him to move around in his seat uncomfortably.

Magnus glanced over at Alec, and although he couldn't really see him, he knew that he probably had a confused and concerned look on his face. Without saying a word, he reached over and grabbed Alec's hand, squeezing it tight in a reassuring gesture. Alec's heart leaped in his chest, and he smiled in return, even though Magnus could barely see him. When Magnus slowly pulled his hand away, Alec found himself wanting to reach out and hold his hand again.

When the talent show was over, everyone applauded and cheered, probably all satisfied with the amazing performances, and also glad that school was now over. The only thing left was the school dance, and after that there was no school for two weeks. Alec had to admit, he had really enjoyed the show, and he was really looking forward to the holidays, but the school dance was a totally different story. That was something he wasn't as excited for.

The dance started at seven-thirty in the school gym. Everyone had plenty of time to get ready and do other last minute stuff for the special event. Well, that time was mostly spent by girls doing their hair and makeup for hours on end before they were satisfied. Alec knew that Isabelle would be taking forever getting ready.

And he was right. As soon as he and his siblings got home, Isabelle started preparing for the dance. She took a long shower, styled her hair for almost as long, put on her white dress, applied some makeup for quite a while and finally put on some jewelry to top it off. Alec started getting ready when she was putting on her makeup, and he was done before she was. It took Alec about five minutes in the shower and less than five minutes to put on his clothes and spray a bit of cologne to make himself smell nice. Afterward, the siblings had a quick supper, and were ready to go by seven.

By the time they got there, it was seven-twenty, so they still had ten minutes to spare. There were already a good number of students who were waiting at the atrium at the entrance of the school, since the doors to the gym were closed. Max had his own dance in the smaller gym, since there weren't as many people in the seventh and eight grade. Alec's younger brother went over to join his friends as soon as he spotted them, leaving the two older siblings alone to look around for their own friends.

It didn't take long for Alec and Isabelle to spot Jace, Clary and Simon. Jace always stood out with his golden hair and being pretty much one of the hottest guys at school. Before he met Clary, it was easy to spot him with a bunch of girls around him, but not anymore. The short redhead was usually always with him, which caused all the other candidates to back off. Although Clary wasn't the jealous type, and didn't really care if he hung out with other girls, Jace was pretty serious about the whole thing and didn't care much for other girls anymore. It was shocking for everyone at first, but Alec knew that Jace really cared for Clary from the start.

"Hey guys!" Isabelle greeted happily. She immediately gave Simon a hug, and once they pulled away from each other, Alec could see they were holding hands. He also noticed that some guys were staring at his sister with odd looks, which made Alec want to go up and tell them to stop undressing her with their eyes. Or maybe even beat the crap out of them. But he knew that was just him thinking like an overprotective older brother.

"You saw that too?" Jace said, glancing at Alec with a small smile.

"Saw what?" Isabelle asked, looking around confusingly.

"Nothing," Alec cut in before Jace could answer. Everyone looked confused except for Jace, who was still smiling.

"Well, alright." Isabelle shrugged, completely dismissing their odd behavior. "Do any of you know when the others are coming?"

"They said they'd be here at around this time. It shouldn't take them much longer." Clary replied.

As soon as she finished her sentence, Alec turned around and spotted a bunch of familiar faces. Jordan, Maia, Sebastian, Rachael, Magnus and Camille. They had just walked into the school building and were all having a conversation together, looking pretty happy.

"What great timing you have, Clary." Simon observed, and his best friend shrugged. "Although it's a little creepy how you said that _right_ before they walked in."

"Just a little." Isabelle agreed, and Alec could hear Clary reply, but he wasn't paying attention anymore at this point. He was too busy staring at Magnus.

He knew that his boyfriend was usually sparkly and colorful, but today, he was _extra_ sparkly and colorful. And he was even more gorgeous, too. Magnus was wearing black skinny jeans that somehow looked dressy, and a purple casual slim fit shirt that did good things for his body. The tips of Magnus' hair was dyed purple to match his shirt, and it looked as if he had put lots of glitter gel in it. He had also put on some black eyeliner to top it all off. That look only worked for Magnus, and he was not only able to pull it off, but he made it look _good_. And he knew it, too. But despite the fact that he loved to flaunt his sexuality, he wasn't into himself like most good-looking people were.

"Well, it sure took you guys a while." Jace said teasingly.

"There's still five minutes left." Jordan pointed out.

"Oh, I know. It's just the point that you guys always seem to come after us." Jace replied, and no one could disagree with that. Even with the two football players teasing and going at each other playfully, everyone seemed to be in a great mood.

Alec glanced over at Magnus, unable to help himself. Magnus seemed to have noticed, because he looked back at him curiously. Then, a small smile played on his lips.

"Hey, Alec," he said suddenly. "Are you warm or something?"

"No," Alec frowned. "Why?"

"Oh, it's just because your cheeks are red. I just thought you must me warm. Or perhaps something is on your mind?" Magnus went on, causing everyone to stare at Alec. That only caused said person to blush even more, and everyone let out small laughs. It was amazing how much Magnus could read his mind, sometimes.

"I must be a little hot, then." Alec said slowly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Magnus' grin only widened.

Five minutes later, the atrium was full of people, and the teachers had finally announced that the doors to the gym were open and people could start coming inside. Almost all at once, the students made their way to the gym in a rush, eager to get the dance started. Even from this far away, Alec could hear the music blasting from the gym. And he also knew that less that two minutes into the dance, the room would be hot, humid and sweaty.

As soon as he stepped into the gym, the music pounded in Alec's ears, and it felt as if his brain was shaking. He wasn't exactly sure why this didn't bother people, or why anyone decided to play music so loudly. But he supposed that was how dances worked. Alec thought it was a little annoying, but he didn't completely despise it either.

"Oh, I love this song." Maia said, already starting to dance to the music. Jordan grinned beside her as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Me too," Isabelle agreed, and she immediately grabbed Simon's hand. "Come on, let's dance!"

Everyone seemed to agree with Maia and Isabelle, because they all started dancing. In fact, every other student was pretty much dancing too. Alec couldn't get away from it this time, so he decided to join his friends, who were all dancing together as a group. He managed to stand in between Magnus and Jace, and both of them seemed surprised that he was joining in, but they quickly smiled happily and danced along to the music.

As the first few songs passed, Alec was starting to get all sweaty, so he decided to head over and get a drink at the snack table. A few people were there as well, but most didn't stay there for long. A lot of the students would either grab a drink and head back to their friends, or some would quickly finish off their drink and join other people. Alec wasn't planning on staying long, so he started to drink his punch in huge gulps.

Alec quickly glanced over at his friends as he kept drinking, and his eyes immediately landed on Magnus. Although, what he saw wasn't necessarily pleasant. Camille was dancing awfully close to him, much to his dismay. It took all of Alec's willpower not to crush the plastic cup in his hands, and instead he finished off his drink, threw it away in a nearby trashcan, and made his way towards Magnus and Camille.

"Hey guys," Alec forced a smile. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Magnus grinned, and he stepped away from Camille as if to emphasis the point. "You're always welcome to dance with us."

Camille glanced over at Alec angrily, but he only returned her look with a smirk. He hoped that Camille got the message that she wasn't going to come between him and Magnus. And she was definitely not going to try to make him jealous. At this point, he didn't care if she suspected they were going out—hell, she probably knew—he just wanted Camille to take her slimy hands off his boyfriend.

However, as the first slow song came along, Alec had no choice but to let Camille dance with him. With a subtle sigh, he headed over to the snack table again, where all the other single people hung around when there was a slow song.

As Alec slowly munched on some chips, someone tapped on his shoulder. He spun around, and to his surprise, Jace stood there right in front of him, a smile on his face.

"What are you doing here, Jace?" Alec asked, not even trying to hide his shock. "Aren't you supposed to be dancing with Clary?"

"Remember how I said I would hang out with you during one slow song? Well, I'm doing just that." Jace replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I told you, you don't have to do that for me. Just enjoy yourself." Alec reassured, stuffing another chip in his mouth.

Before Alec could grab another one, Jace grabbed his wrist halfway to the bowl. "Stop eating those. It's like you're feeding your sadness."

"I'm not feeding my sadness." Alec said, glaring at him slightly. "That doesn't even make any sense."

"Oh, it makes perfect sense. Girls do it all the time." Jace slowly let go of Alec's wrist. "Are you going to at least stop sulking?"

"I'm not." Alec insisted. "Now go. You don't have to be so concerned."

Before Jace could reply, Clary had appeared right beside him, placing a hand on his arm. He glanced over at her, a smile forming on his face. Alec appreciated Jace's gesture, but he was glad someone was finally coming to get rid of him.

"What are you doing, Jace? You just left me alone over there." she said teasingly. "Not a very good boyfriend."

"Oh, I just wanted to hang out with Alec for a bit. He looks so lonely here by himself."

Clary glanced over at Alec with a smile. "Oh, really? Well, that's not good. Maybe you should dance with me?"

"Me? Dance with you?" Alec repeated surprisingly. Jace looked just as shocked by the offer.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Since Jace is being a terrible date anyway, I think you deserve a slow dance, Alec."

"Hey, I am not a terrible date." Jace said defensively, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm probably the best boyfriend ever."

"Uh-huh," Clary rolled her eyes, and teasing smile still playing on her lips. Alec couldn't help but grin at the situation.

"So, how about that dance? Before the song ends." Clary asked, glancing at Alec once more.

"Oh, well sure. That sounds like fun." he replied, and the short redhead grinned, stepping away from Jace and leading Alec over to the dance floor.

"I want you to come back by the end of the song!" Jace called out to them, and the two only laughed.

As Alec started slow dancing with Clary, he realized just how short she was. The two were about eight inches apart, so there was definitely a huge gap. It was a little awkward, him being so close to Jace's girlfriend. She didn't seem to mind all that much, though.

"You seem tense." Clary observed, looking up at him.

"I guess it's a little awkward." Alec admitted shyly.

"You've never really danced with many girls, have you?"

"Dancing isn't really my thing."

"Yeah," Clary smiled a little. "I can tell."

"Am I that bad?" Alec asked, shocked.

"No, no. I was just teasing." Clary shook her head, chuckling slightly. "You're actually not that bad, for someone who doesn't dance much."

"Thanks," Alec returned the smile.

The two were in a comfortable silence until the song ended. Alec slowly pulled away from Clary, thanking her for the dance. She told him it was no problem, and he was about to turn around and head over to join the rest of their friends, but Clary stopped him.

"Wait, Alec. Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Alec asked curiously.

Clary opened her mouth to speak, but shut it once she heard Jace walking towards her. She glanced over at him as he came closer, and she quickly glanced back at Alec with a small smile.

"You know what? It's not important." she said. "Let's just all dance together."

"Okay," Alec agreed slowly, but he was just a little curious about what she might have asked him. He decided not to question her as Jace came into earshot.

There wasn't another slow song for quite a while, which was pretty relieving for Alec. He was able to dance with all of his friends, or at least attempt to dance with his friends. No one seemed to mind, though. Most of his friends were surprised he was even dancing to begin with, so they probably appreciated this rare occasion. Besides, the dance was only to have fun. Looking silly was only a part of that fun.

Another slow song eventually came along, though, and Alec went over to the snack table once again. He wasn't thirsty or hungry anymore, so he decided to glance at his friends from a distance. Each and every single one of them were slow dancing with their dates. He spotted Isabelle and Simon at the far corner of the room, whispering to each other as they danced. Maia and Jordan were dancing next to Sebastian and his date, Rachael, who all seemed very happy. Clary and Jace finally had the chance to slow dance this time, and Alec kept his eyes on them the longest. Clary was resting her head against Jace's chest, her eyes closed, while his head was hanging low.

Alec then started looking for Magnus, but as he glanced around the gym, he couldn't spot his sparkly boyfriend. Usually he was very easy to find, but for some reason he couldn't even see him among the students. He wasn't sure where Camille was either, but she wasn't as easy to spot as Magnus was. Curious, he decided to walk around the gym, looking for either one of them.

Before he could even take a few steps, though, Alec's arm was suddenly pulled back. Surprised, he spun around and met eyes with Magnus. He didn't even try to hide is shock, because he let his eyes grow wide.

"Magnus? What are you doing here?" Alec asked.

"Just follow me." Magnus insisted, pulling him gently by the arm as he dragged him out of the gym.

"What's going on?" Alec kept on asking questions. "Where's Camille?"

Magnus turned his head around to look at Alec from a sideways glance. He had a grin on his face, as if he was up to something. However, he didn't answer the question, and just kept going.

"We're not allowed to leave the gym." Alec went on, as the two opened the doors and stepped out into the hallway. Luckily there weren't any teachers keeping lookout at the moment. Finally, Magnus stopped at the end of the hallway, where there was a set of doors to head outside.

"I told Camille I had to go to the bathroom, and she decided to go too. We have a few minutes." Magnus finally started to explain.

"A few minutes for what?" Alec asked confusingly.

Magnus let out a small chuckle and grabbed both of his hands. "To dance, of course. What else?"

"Wait, you wanted to come out here so we could slow dance together?" Alec's eyes widened once more, not expecting this at all.

"Of course," Magnus nodded. "Now let's dance before the song ends."

Alec smiled and agreed, wrapping his arms around Magnus' neck as his boyfriend wrapped his arms around his waist. Even though they could only barely hear the song playing in the gym, it didn't really matter. The gesture was enough to make this moment perfect. As they danced, the only thing Alec could see was Magnus. It's as if time had stopped, and everything around them had disappeared. Alec wondered if this was what slow dancing with someone you really cared about usually felt like. He knew that's how those cliché movies described it, but he never imagined it actually feeling like this. He also wondered if Magnus felt the same, too.

Before Alec knew it, the song had ended, and was soon replaced by a fast and upbeat song. But the two never stopped their dancing. It was as if things were now going in slow motion, and they were later than everyone else. Eventually, their dancing ceased, and the two were still wrapped up in each other, staring into each others eyes.

"You know the song ended, right?" Alec said, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I wasn't even paying attention to the song, anyway." Magnus returned the grin. "The only thing that was going through my mind was you."

Alec chuckled lightly and rested his head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Magnus. This means a lot."

"Anything for you, darling." Magnus whispered in his ear, his arms tight around Alec's waist. "I saw how miserable you looked during the slow dances."

Alec slowly lifted his head back up and stared at Magnus. "I wasn't that miserable. But I appreciate your gesture."

"You know I can read you like a book, so don't try to fool me." Magnus joked.

"I'm not trying to fool anyone." Alec grinned back as he slowly leaned closer to his boyfriend.

"Good, because it's not working at all." Magnus said, closing the gap between them.

The kiss was very slow and gentle. Alec could barely feel Magnus' lips on his own, so he found himself leaning in closer to get a better taste. It was probably the sweetest kiss Alec had ever felt. Usually it would be a lot more urgent and passionate, but this time it was different. It was as if they were both made of glass, and they were trying not to break each other. Each of their movements were slow, and usually Alec wouldn't be able to bear the teasing, but for some reason he found it nice. Even when Magnus nibbled on Alec's bottom lip, it was more gentle than anything else.

The two then slowly pulled away, and Alec rested his forehead against Magnus', their noses touching. For a minute, they both listened to their steady breathing, small smiles on each of their faces. But suddenly, Alec heard a slight sound, not too far away. He wasn't sure if he heard it right, but it sounded like a small clicking, as if a door had closed. Alec untangled himself from Magnus and looked around. But there was no one in sight.

"What is it?" Magnus asked curiously, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"I... thought I heard something." Alec replied slowly. Dismissing it, he turned back to Magnus. "I guess it was just my imagination, though."

"Yeah, probably. I didn't hear anything." Magnus shrugged. He then smiled. "Well, might as well head back to the gym."

Alec nodded his head in agreement, and followed Magnus through the gymnasium doors, the loud music greeting them once again. Almost immediately, Jace came rushing towards them, looking relieved.

"There you guys are." he said, smiling. "I'm not sure where you two were, but you should come join us. Wouldn't want to miss out on the fun."

"Nope, I definitely wouldn't." Magnus agreed, following Jace as they joined the rest of the group. Alec quickly followed behind them.

For the rest of the dance, Alec was feeling a lot better. Not once did he stop to get a drink or take a break. For some reason, Alec was full of energy, and he wasn't entirely sure where it came from. He knew why he was in a good mood, but he didn't know he would be this enthusiastic about dancing. But every time he would glance at Magnus, he just wanted to keep going. And seeing all his friends look so happy kept him going, too.

And for once, even with her constant glares, Camille couldn't bring Alec down. If her goal was to make him jealous of her and Magnus, she had failed miserably.

* * *

The holidays went by very quickly. Before Alec knew it, school was starting up again. For the most part of those two weeks, Alec spent them hanging out with his friends or just relaxing at home. A bunch of family had come over during Christmas too, which was pretty fun for Alec. It was rare that he spent time with family, much less his parents. Christmas was a very special occasion because of that.

As it had been a tradition for years, the Lightwoods and Herondales spent one whole day celebrating Christmas together. They would exchange gifts and have a big meal, and just hang out at either one of their houses. This year it had been at Jace's house, and as the parents were mostly chatting in the living room, the four kids would always spend their time upstairs, doing pretty much anything.

Although this year was slightly different from the others. Alec had spent a lot of time with Magnus while he was hanging out with the rest of their friends. He had even went over to his house once during the holidays to hang out. His parents had invited him to stay for supper like last time, and he felt more comfortable talking to them than before. Chairman Meow was even more attached to Alec, which caused Magnus to get all frustrated, much to Alec's amusement.

But when school was finally starting up, Alec felt pretty disappointed. He had really enjoyed those two weeks away from school and the drama—especially Camille—but he supposed there was nothing to do about it. Life was returning to normal once again. His parents wouldn't have time for him and his siblings anymore, and he would start worrying all over again. Alec knew, however, that there was no reason to complain. Things were looking up, more than ever since the beginning of the school year. If anything, he should be happy. It's not like things could get any better.

That's what Alec had told himself when he woke up early on Monday morning, having to get ready to go to school. He was able to convince himself, because it was the truth, and Alec couldn't feel any happier. As he was getting ready, he had this smile on his face that he couldn't get rid of.

"You look happy today." Isabelle commented as her older brother stepped into the kitchen, his smile clear on his face. "Which is pretty weird, considering the holidays are over and we're going back to school. On a Monday morning."

"I'm just in a good mood." Alec shrugged, grabbing an apple from the fridge. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Not at all." Isabelle smiled amusingly, taking a bite out of her toast and watching her brother take a seat across from her at the kitchen table. "It makes me happy to see you so chipper."

"I'm in a good mood, too." Max added through a mouthful of milk and cereal. "The holidays were super fun."

"Well, that makes me even more glad." Isabelle sat back in her chair, glancing at both of her brothers.

Once the three siblings got to school, they immediately greeted their friends who were still in the parking lot. Together, they headed into the school building, chatting away happily. For January, it was pretty nice. It wasn't too cold, and the sun was out and shining. It seemed like the weather was reflecting Alec's good mood.

Jace immediately noticed Alec's behavior when he saw him, but he wasn't able to talk to him directly until they were on their way to gym class. Magnus would always get there before the two, since he wanted more time to get ready. He almost took as long as the average girl did when they were in the changing rooms.

"I gotta say, you look pretty happy today." Jace observed as they walked side by side down the hallway.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Alec shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure why, but I guess it's because these past two weeks have been pretty good."

"That's true." Jace agreed with a smile, to which Alec returned immediately. "It's better than being in a bad mood."

"Agreed," Alec nodded, remembering all those times before where he had been upset almost every day. Everyone seemed worried and always asked him what was wrong, which would annoy him a little. He couldn't even explain half of the things that had gone through his mind.

"Let's hope you stay like this for the rest of the week. Or even for the rest of the school year." Jace said hopefully.

"That depends on school itself." Alec explained. "Mondays don't help."

That caused Jace to laugh, and the two best friends kept on chatting until they reached the changing room and met up with Magnus. The three of them had started up another conversation and didn't really stop until class was over. Their gym teacher had to shut them up a few times, but other than that, there were no problems.

When lunch came along, and Alec was walking down the hallway to get to his locker, he bumped into someone. Alec immediately apologized, straightening his backpack, and stopped abruptly when he saw who it was. Jonathan.

"Oh, hello," Alec said awkwardly, hoping Clary's older brother wouldn't get all upset for looking in his general direction.

"Alec, you look like you're in a hurry." Jonathan said coolly.

"I just wasn't paying attention to my surroundings." Alec replied.

"Is that so? Maybe there's too much going through your head."

"No, actually, it's quite the opposite." Alec was surprised he and Jonathan were having an actual conversation, but he kept going anyway. "I'm in a good mood."

"That's always good to hear." Jonathan grinned oddly, however it quickly vanished.

"Yeah..." Alec looked around at all the other students, scratching the back of his head out of nervous habit. "So, how are you and Natasha?"

"We're doing fine." Clary's brother replied. "How are you and... Camille?"

"Me and Camille?" Alec sounded a little shocked. "We're, uh, doing alright I suppose. We're still friends."

"Right," Jonathan nodded, glancing sideways, although he didn't look awkward. "I was just curious."

"Alright, well... see you." Alec said, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"Okay," Jonathan said flatly. "Have a nice day."

"You too," Alec then walked over to his locker in quick strides, only turning back once to see that Jonathan was already out of sight.

_That was extremely awkward... _Alec thought, shaking his head vigorously. After going to his locker and heading to the cafeteria to meet up with his friends, he had already forgotten about that small and odd conversation with Jonathan. Even though it had been an unusual occurrence, it was pretty easy to forget when he was chatting happily with everyone.

During the rest of the week, Alec had been in a pretty good mood. He would always arrive at school with an upbeat attitude, even though he would sometimes wake up a little tired. He and Magnus would call each other after school while they were at home and talk for hours. Jace seemed to be even happier than usual, because he was glad his best friend was in such a good mood all the time.

As Monday came along for a second time since the holidays, Alec woke up to his alarm as usual. He quickly turned it off, and got out of bed. With groggy steps, he went over to his window to pull back the blinds. Surprisingly enough, it was raining. Last week had been sunny and cool, with a bit of snow on the ground. But now that snow had turned to mostly slush, and it didn't look very inviting to step outside. Alec let out a small groan of distaste and headed to the bathroom to get ready for school.

It was still raining when Alec and his siblings got to school, and it kind of put them in a depressing mood. As soon as Isabelle stepped out of the car, she ran inside the school building, not wanting to mess up her hair. Max and Alec took their time as they got to the school building, not really caring if their hair got a little wet.

Strangely enough, Alec didn't spot Jace or anyone else. He remembered seeing his car in the parking lot, but there was no sign of his best friend. Alec quickly dismissed it, thinking that he was probably somewhere in the school.

After trying to find one of his friends and failing, Alec decided to just sit down at a nearby bench and get ahead in his schoolwork. As he was doing this, however, Alec noticed people staring at him oddly. At first Alec assumed it was nothing, but since he kept getting stares from almost everyone who passed by, he knew there was something up. Alec quickly got up with his stuff and headed to the bathroom to see if there was something on his face or clothes, but he looked perfectly normal. Confused, Alec left the bathroom.

Next, Alec tried to look for Magnus, but he couldn't spot his sparkly boyfriend. He supposed he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and before he had the chance to look for anyone else, the five minute bell rang. Still utterly confused, Alec decided to head to class.

Alec's first class was math, and when he spotted Simon sitting at his desk reading through some notes, he was very glad to see at least one of his friends. Since exams were coming up very soon, a lot of people were paying extra attention in class and taking as many notes as possible. Simon seemed to be doing just that. Even as Alec sat down beside him, he didn't seem to notice his presence.

"Hey, Simon." he greeted, taking his stuff out of his bag.

"Hey," his friend replied, sounding distracted.

"Sorry to bother you, but have you seen Jace or anyone else today? I wasn't able to find them." Alec asked.

Slowly, Simon looked up from his notes and stared at Alec for a second before replying. "Yeah, I have."

"Oh," Alec said simply, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm sure you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't make a big deal out of it." Simon reassured quickly.

"I wasn't." Alec narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Is something going on, Simon?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"Because people have given me these weird looks as soon as I entered the school building." Alec explained. "Not to mention I couldn't find anyone this morning."

Simon looked around the classroom, as if to make sure no one was staring at them. Or maybe he was trying to make sure no one was giving Alec weird looks like he claimed. The boy with glasses looked back at him and shrugged.

"No, not that I know of..." he said slowly.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't worry about it, Alec. I'm sure it's nothing." Simon reassured once more.

"Okay, if you say so. I'm just a little confused."

Simon shrugged in response, and went back to his notes. Alec still felt suspicious and confused, but he decided to stop asking questions. Obviously Simon didn't want to talk anymore, because he didn't even glance at Alec once during the whole class.

When the bell rang, Alec immediately got out of class in hopes of finding Jace in the hallway. Luckily for him, he did. His best friend was walking down the hallway with his gym bag slung over his shoulder. Alec quickly walked over to him, grabbing him by the shoulder to stop him.

"Jace, there you are. I've been looking for you since this morning." Alec said, sounding a little out of breath as if to emphasis his point.

Jace stared at Alec for a second, looking serious and unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned around and kept on walking. Alec stood still for a second, completely confused, but quickly caught up to his friend once more.

"Hey, what's up with you?" Alec said, grabbing for his shoulder once more. This time, Jace shook him off, and kept walking without a single glance behind him.

"Okay, Jace, what's going on?" Alec asked a little more forcefully. He managed to stop in front of his friend, so he couldn't get away. "Are you mad at me?"

"_No_," Jace's voice dripped sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. "What made you think that?"

"Why? What did I do?"

"You mean you don't know what you did?" Jace asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No! I have absolutely _no_ idea what's going on!" Alec said while raising his arms over his head. "All morning, people have given me weird looks, and I haven't met up with any of you guys to ask why. When I asked Simon, he said there was nothing going on, but I knew he was lying. Now you're here, acting all pissed and upset, and I have absolutely _no idea _why! So please, explain to me what is going on."

Jace let out a heavy sigh, glancing at the clock on the wall. There was a bit less than five minutes left, but even with that amount of time left, both Jace and Alec would be ready.

"You're killing me, Jace. Come on and tell me." Alec insisted.

"Fine," Jace agreed. "But I have to show it to you."

Confused and curious, all Alec could do was nod his head. Jace reached in his jean pocket and took out his cellphone. Fixing the strap on his shoulder, he looked through his phone for a couple of seconds before looking back up at Alec seriously.

"Someone sent this to me." he explained, and very slowly, showed Alec what was on the screen of his phone. And what he saw made Alec gasp in surprise.

Right there, on the screen of Jace's cellphone, was a picture of Alec and Magnus during the school dance right before the holidays. But the worst part was the fact that the two of them were wrapped up in each others arms, kissing. Something Alec never wanted anyone to see.

**Dun dun dun! Who do you guys think sent the picture? How will Alec react to this? Review and let me know! And feel free to let me know what you thought of the chapter overall. That would be pretty awesome too! And I know I skipped through their two weeks off, but I didn't think there would be any importance. However, maybe if I wrote a fluffy Malec one shot about what happened around Christmas? Would anyone be interested in that? Anyway, that's it for now. Bye! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Over 20 reviews for one chapter?! I've never gotten that many in one go before! Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed, and to those who now favorite and follow this story. I know I got a lot of guest reviews too, and since I can't reply to any of you directly, I'd like to thank all of you right now. So thank you! All of your reviews made me smile! Anyway, this is probably something a bunch of you have anticipated, so I'll get right to it. Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments in any way possible.**

Chapter Eighteen

Staring at the picture on the small cellphone screen, Alec felt many emotions stirring up inside him. He was angry, upset and frustrated. It was so bad that he started to see red at the edges of his vision. Only when Jace put his phone away did Alec start to calm down a bit.

"Who... who sent you this?" Alec asked slowly, his voice sounding far and distant.

"Does it matter who sent it? It's the point that you never told me about you and Magnus. You never told me you were gay. I had to find out like this, without you telling me. Do you know how that makes me feel about you, Alec? About our friendship?" Jace explained, staring at him with such pain and sadness that Alec wanted to cry.

"You don't understand, Jace... I couldn't tell you. I just couldn't." Alec said, looking down on the ground. "I was too afraid."

"I thought we told each other everything." Jace whispered in a small voice. "But I guess I was wrong."

"We do tell each other everything." Alec immediately looked back up at his friend. "I've told you all of my other secrets. I just couldn't tell you this one."

"Well, it's a pretty big secret, don't you think?" Jace's voice sounded bitter and cold, which made Alec flinch slightly. "Now everyone in the school knows."

"So that's why everyone was staring at me..." Alec trailed off, biting his lip and holding back the tears that were bound to spill out of his eyes.

Jace only started at his best friend, as if he had nothing else to say. Or maybe he didn't know what to say. Either way, it didn't matter, because the bell interrupted their conversation. The two were now late for class. Not that either one cared right now.

"Looks like we're late." Jace said, straightening the straps of his gym bag on his shoulder once more. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get a tardy slip."

Before Alec could utter a word, Jace spun around and walked in the other direction, towards the office. Alec watched as he walked down the now empty hallway, the sound of his shoes hitting the ground echoing all around him. Alec stood there for a minute, unable to move or say anything. A single tear rolled down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away. Sniffling, he then walked in the same direction as Jace to get a tardy slip.

But as he walked down the hallway, trying not to burst into tears, only one thought crossed his mind. He knew exactly who had sent that picture to everyone at school. There was only one person who hated Alec enough to sabotage him in front of the whole student body. And that person was none other than Camille.

It had to be her. There was no one else Alec could think of. Well, maybe it could be someone else, but Alec was so angry and upset that he had his mind set on Camille. He didn't want it to be anyone else, because that way he could get her in serious trouble with the school. Maybe she would be expelled, and that way he wouldn't have to see her for a while. That thought was pretty pleasing to Alec.

However, not even getting revenge on Camille cheered Alec up. He felt as if he were carrying dead weight on his shoulders, and that his heart had broken into a million pieces. Seeing the look Jace had given him pop up in his mind made Alec want to lock himself up in a room and cry until no more tears came out. He and Jace never really had a fight or got mad at each other. This was the first time one was so upset over the other. And Alec hated it. Jace was his best friend—no, his _brother—_and he didn't want their inseparable bond to break because of this.

In gym, Jace ignored Alec the whole time. He wouldn't even glance his way or reply to any of Alec's questions. It's as if he wasn't even there, and Jace would just walk right by him without even looking at him. That would only make Alec even more sad and depressed, and it took him a lot of willpower to not burst into tears.

It was a good thing—or maybe, a bad thing—that Magnus was there to ask him what had happened. Alec didn't like the stares all the other guys kept giving them. Magnus probably noticed every single glance, but he ignored them. Alec wished he couldn't care what people thought of him like he did.

"So, Jace told you about the picture, huh?" Magnus asked as they were sitting on the benches with the rest of their team, waiting for their turn to go back on and play ball hockey.

"Yeah, and he was really upset. As you already saw, he won't even talk to me." Alec glanced at Jace, who was currently playing.

"I'm sure he'll come around." Magnus reassured, but he didn't sound very convincing. "I'm sorry it had to happen this way, Alec. If I would've known about the picture sooner, I... I could have done something."

"It's not your fault Camille is a jealous bitch." Alec mumbled, his chin resting on his hands.

"You think Camille did this?" Magnus asked, turning to his boyfriend with a shocked expression.

"Isn't it?" Alec looked up at him curiously.

"No, Jonathan sent the picture. Who else has nearly everyone's phone number in the school?" Magnus explained, but that only made Alec more confused.

"Why the hell would _he _send the picture to everyone? Camille has a motive, but he doesn't. I never did anything to him..." Alec then trailed off, and it suddenly clicked. "Wait, he doesn't like _you_! He did this to humiliate you!"

"No, he knows sending that picture wouldn't have bothered me. But he probably knows it bothers you." Magnus pointed out. "So, he sent the picture to humiliate you to get on my nerves."

"Did it work?"

"You bet it did." Magnus glared towards the people currently playing ball hockey. "He's trying to ruin our relationship, basically."

"Yeah, well, he ruined my friendship with Jace, so I guess his plan didn't totally work." Alec let out a heavy sigh. "But I have no idea how we're going to do this."

"I know how hard this must be on you, Alec. To be honest, I'm a little glad this happened. Everyone knows the truth about you now. I know Jace is mad at you, but I'm sure the others aren't." Magnus said, looking straight at Alec, a small smile forming on his face. "And even if everyone at school knows, is it really that bad? Now we don't have to hide anything anymore."

"I understand what you're saying, but I definitely didn't want this to happen. I wanted to come out on my own terms, not with some stupid picture." Alec explained, looking at Magnus with a look of conflict. "And who knows, maybe some people at this school are homophobic. They won't even look at me anymore now that they know."

"We've gone through this. Who cares what people think? What we have is completely special, and it's _right_. Don't you think so?" Magnus asked.

"Well, yeah, but... I care what people think about me, Magnus. I wish I didn't give a shit about rumors and gossip like you do, but I can't help it." Alec ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "I want to make this work, I do. But I'm just saying..."

"I know, Alec... I know." Magnus sounded sad. "I don't want to see you unhappy. Maybe there's something I can do to help."

At that moment, their teacher blew the whistle, indicating that it was time to switch teams. Alec got up, quickly followed by Magnus. After taking a few steps, however, Alec turned his head around to get a sideways glance of Magnus. He had a small and sad smile on his face.

"There's nothing you can do." he said simply, and without letting Magnus reply, he turned around and walked over to the center of the gym with his other teammates.

Alec didn't see that Magnus looked utterly and completely heartbroken.

* * *

When lunch came along, it wasn't any better. Alec didn't want to sit with his friends, since Jace was among them and he refused to talk to him. Instead, he decided to sit alone at an empty table. Magnus asked if he could sit with him, but Alec only shook his head, explaining he wanted to be alone. Magnus seemed to understand, because he walked off and sat somewhere else.

Alec wasn't really that hungry, to be honest. He stared at his untouched sandwich, and that even made him less hungry. Letting out a small sigh, he pushed his tray back a bit, as if looking at his food was unbearable. Alec crossed his arms on the table and rested his chin on one arm, staring downward, but at nothing in particular.

Suddenly, a shadow cast over his food, and Alec slowly looked up to see who it was. To his surprise, it was Clary, holding a tray with her lunch. She wore a small smile on her face, which shocked Alec a bit. He was a little confused about why she was here, and not with Jace and the others.

"Can I sit here?" she asked, sounding friendly. Alec could only nod slowly, and he pulled his tray toward him to give her room.

As she sat down and grabbed a fry from her tray, she stopped, the fry halfway to her mouth. Alec was still staring at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. Clary set her fry down slowly, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"What?" she said simply.

"What are you doing here?" Alec managed to sputter, glancing around to see if people were staring at them. He spotted Jace and the others sitting not to far off, and he could see his best friend glaring at him. He wasn't even sure if they were considered friends anymore.

"I'm eating with you, what else?" Clary asked, looking rather amused. But Alec was still confused.

"Yeah, but... You're not eating with Jace and the others? Why with me?"

"You looked lonely. And since Jace is being such a stubborn ass, I decided to go sit with you." Clary explained, glancing over at her boyfriend, who looked their way, as if knowing he was being stared at. He met her gaze, and immediately looked away.

"He hates me." Alec said miserably, staring down at his food. "He won't even talk to me, let alone look my way."

"Jace would never hate you, Alec. You two have this unbreakable bond. Something special." Clary reassured, placing a small and delicate hand on his arm. "He's just upset... and, as I've mentioned before, very stubborn."

Alec looked back up at Clary, meeting her green eyes. "It's my fault, though. If I would have told him the truth sooner—_much_ sooner—none of this would have happened. But I'm just a big coward."

"Don't say that." Clary said softly. "None of this is your fault. My brother never should have sent that picture. It was... unnecessary and cruel."

"I knew he didn't like Magnus, but I didn't know he would go this far." Alec mumbled, staring off into space. Suddenly, he looked back at Clary, frowning slightly. "Wait, you don't seem surprised about Magnus and I. Did you...?"

He didn't even have to finish that sentence. Clary nodded, saying, "I already knew. I kind of always suspected for a while. I saw the way you looked at Jace, but I couldn't entirely be sure. Then, when Magnus came along, I knew you were gay."

Alec couldn't help but blush. "Was it that obvious?"

"Only to very observant people. I just so happen to be one."

"So, at the winter dance, when you wanted to ask me something, did it have to do with Magnus and I?" Alec asked slowly.

"Yeah, but since Jace was in earshot, I let it go. I figured you didn't want Jace to hear." Clary replied with a nod.

"What about your brother? How did he know?"

"My brother...? I honestly don't know." Clary shrugged. "But it's strange, because during the winter dance, he never even set foot outside the gym. So he couldn't have taken the picture."

"So... someone else did?" Alec immediately thought of Camille. It could very well be her, because Magnus said she had gone to the bathroom. Maybe she thought Magnus was taking too long, so she must have wandered around looking for him, thus finding him and Alec.

"It has to be." Clary said. "After they took the picture, they showed it to Jonathan, knowing he could easily send it to almost everyone at school."

"So it _has_ to be Camille. She hates me, and Jonathan hates Magnus. It makes perfect sense." Alec knew he had it all figured out. It had to be that.

"It could have been her..." Clary agreed. "But don't make assumptions just yet. Maybe the person who took the picture was someone you would least expect."

"I can't think of anyone else." Alec insisted. He looked around the cafeteria and spotted Camille sitting with a few of her friends at the farthest corner. He slowly stood up, his untouched food forgotten. "I have to make sure it's her."

"Alec, what are you doing?" Clary stood up, her tray almost as full as his. "You're not going to go talk to her, are you?"

"Why not?" Alec shrugged, and started to make his way towards Camille, determined to figure things out once and for all. Clary followed behind him, not bothering to protest. She knew how stubborn he could be, because she was the same way.

People stared as Alec nearly jogged to Camille's table. They were probably wondering why he was in a hurry and acting all strange. But Alec couldn't care less. His eyes were glued on Camille, and his thoughts were stuck on that one thing. He had to know the truth. He had to know if she took the picture.

When he stopped at Camille's table, Clary standing next to him, the chattering and laughing ceased immediately. He ignored the other girls staring at him, and only concentrated on Camille.

"Did you take the picture?" he asked.

"What?" Camille looked confused as she frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Did you take that picture of Magnus and I during the winter dance?" Alec sounded impatient, and he forced himself to calm down.

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Why would you think it was me?"

"Because I know you hate me, and you hate the fact that Magnus and I are together." Alec said angrily. "You always suspected us, and taking that picture was the ultimate proof. Making Jonathan send it to everyone at school was some sick and cruel joke."

Camille glared at him. "I didn't take the picture. I wish I did, though, just so I could take the credit."

"Don't lie to me!" Alec's voice rose slightly, and people from the neighboring tables turned around and stared. "We all know you're a lying, jealous _bitch_."

"Excuse me?!" Camille stood up from her seat, looking furious. Her friends stared back at her and Alec with shocked expressions. "How dare you call me a bitch, while you've been lying this whole time to all of your friends!"

"I had my reasons." Alec's jaw clenched angrily. "But you had no right to invade my privacy and take that picture."

"I _didn't do it_!" Camille yelled, and even more people glanced their way. "How many times must I say it before it gets through to your head?!"

"I have every reason to believe it's you. I know you still love Magnus, and you're just trying to ruin our relationship. Even worse, you bring Jonathan into the whole thing just so he can get back at Magnus, just to humiliate me!" Alec said, starting to lose his patience.

"Alec, stop." Clary demanded, looking at him warningly. He chose to ignore her. Big mistake.

"Oh, is that what you think?" Camille asked, placing her hands on her hips. "You're right, I still care about Magnus, and I sure as hell don't like you. But guess what? I didn't take the damn picture. Someone else did."

"I don't believe you." Alec said after a moment of silence. "How do you expect me to believe you when I know you hate me? When I know you're out to get me?"

"Believe what you want." Camille spat. "It wasn't me. You can be some ignorant little bastard and have it stuck in your brain believing I did it, but I know it wasn't me."

"Then who was it?" Alec asked. "Who the hell else could have taken the picture if it wasn't you?"

"Don't know," Camille shrugged. "All I know is that I applaud who ever took that picture and showed it to Jonathan. You got what you deserved."

"You've got some nerve—" Alec started, but Clary grabbed his arm, pulling him back slightly.

"Okay, that's enough, the both of you!" Clary said sternly. "I've had enough of your fighting."

Camille stared at Clary with a look of surprise, as if noticing just now that she was there. But then she let out a loud sigh and sat back down, keeping her eyes fixed on Alec. She had a wicked grin on her face, as if she'd won this battle.

"Well, looks like you always need someone to defend your sorry ass, huh Alec? Can't fight your own battles?" When Alec didn't reply, she just chuckled softly. "Pathetic."

"Who are you calling pathetic?" Clary asked, giving Camille a nasty glare. "You've seriously got problems if you waste your time trying to win someone back who obviously moved on. _You're_ the pathetic one."

Camille raised an eyebrow, looking both shocked and speechless. Alec glanced at Clary surprisingly, and this time she let out a small chuckle.

"That's what I thought." Clary said, crossing her arms, and faking a smile. "Have a nice day."

Without another word from Camille and the rest of her friends, Clary spun around and started walking back to her and Alec's table. Still a little shocked, it took Alec a few seconds to snap back to reality and run after Clary.

"Why did you do that?" Alec asked, once he caught up to her.

"She needed to be put in her place. I hate bitches like her." Clary replied, still glaring, but not at Alec. When she glanced over at him, she smiled.

"Well... thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. It was my pleasure."

When they got back to their table, they finished their lunch in silence, but it wasn't necessarily awkward. People were staring at them, whispering things that neither Clary nor Alec could hear. Neither of them looked at anyone or made any moves of back talking. In fact, Clary looked pretty pleased with herself. Alec couldn't help but grin at that. He had to admit, he didn't expect Jace's girlfriend to do that. That made him respect her a lot more now, and Alec seemed to finally understand why Jace liked her so much. She was a tough cookie, despite her small size and innocent look.

Alec could really get used to hanging out with Clary more often.

* * *

The last two periods were unbearably long. When he had English with Jace, he ended up being ignored yet again. Usually that class was something to look forward to, because he and his best friend would always talk and laugh during the whole class, pissing off the teacher quite a few times. But now, class was incredibly dull. The whole class seemed to be quiet, save for a few whispers from time to time. Alec wasn't sure if he was just being paranoid, but he had this crazy feeling that those whispers were about him.

Science wasn't as bad. Jordan and Sebastian still talked to him, but seemed a little awkward. Alec knew they wanted to ask him questions about him and Magnus, but they couldn't seem to find the right approach. Alec found it a little sad, but understood their predicament. Magnus somehow lightened the mood with his jokes, so that helped quite a bit.

When Alec got home, he was too relieved. He had become sick and tired of people staring at him. It's not as if he'd changed; they just knew the truth about him. But maybe that was what was so shocking. For years, he had people believe he was as straight as a post. And it's not like Alec looked or acted gay, so now that the secret was out, it was probably very hard to believe. Alec couldn't really be mad at them; he couldn't even blame everyone's reactions. It was Jace's anger toward him that really struck him badly.

Good thing he had Max and Isabelle. His sister immediately hugged him, and he was surprised by how much he missed her warmth. Max did the same, and he really couldn't be thankful enough to have such supportive siblings. He couldn't ask for anything better. Max and Isabelle were his whole world.

As the three siblings had hugged, no words were said. No words _had _to be said. They all understood what this reassurance was about. Only once did Isabelle speak, once they all pulled away from the long hug.

"Everything's alright. Everything's going to be okay." she said, looking at her brother straight in the eyes.

And he believed her. He knew everything was okay, and that it was going to get better. And just when he was sure things couldn't get any worse, they did. They got ten times worse when his parents got home.

He felt it as soon as his parents walked through the door. Alec had spun around to face the direction they had come in, not yet seeing them. But from the way the door slammed, and how loud the footsteps were against the hardwood floor, Alec knew that they were pissed. No, his _dad _was pissed. He could hear the sound of his mom's high heels, and they weren't stomping angrily against the floor.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, come here _now_." Robert said angrily, and Alec nearly flinched by how upset he sounded. He really didn't want to see the look on his face. Plus, when his parents called him by his full name, he knew he was in trouble.

Alec really didn't want to go see his parents, but if he didn't, he knew his dad would get even more upset. His heart beating rapidly in his chest, Alec slowly made his way to the front entrance, Isabelle and Max walking behind him.

When he finally saw his parents, he was right about not wanting to see their faces. Robert looked like he was about to blow up, however Maryse looked much calmer. She looked a little upset, with her arms crossed over her chest, but other than that she looked like she usually did.

"What is it, dad?" Alec already knew the answer, but he felt like he had to ask.

"How dare you not tell me about your secret relationship with Magnus?" his father asked. "You do realize this picture of you two... kissing has spread around your school."

_No freaking shit._ "I know," Alec said, trying to sound level-headed and calm. But he felt as if his legs were made out of mush, and that his knees would give way at any moment. "Jace showed it to me."

"Did he?" Robert asked, the anger in his voice still there. "And how angry was he?"

"He was pretty mad at me." Alec looked down at his feet, starting to feel the tears well up in his eyes like they did at school.

"Yes," his dad nodded as if that answer pleased him. "He was mad, because you kept this secret from him for so long. You kept this secret from your family and from everyone else."

Isabelle opened her mouth to speak, but Alec cut her off before she could say anything. "I'm sorry, dad. I was just afraid. I _was_ going to tell you, but ever since that conversation we had during dinner about your gay coworker, I was too afraid to say anything."

"Alexander, you shouldn't have been afraid to tell us." Maryse said, her voice a lot softer and reassuring.

"I shouldn't have been afraid? I had every reason to." Alec interjected. "You pretty much said to my face you were homophobic."

"Don't talk to your mother in that tone of voice." Robert said sternly. "What you did was wrong, and you have no excuse."

Alec started to wonder if he was talking about him being gay, or that he had kept this secret for so long. Either way, it didn't matter, because it still stung. A lot.

"Why did you keep it from us for so long?" Maryse asked gently. "Even before that conversation we had during supper."

"Well," Alec let out a small sigh. "It took me a while to realize that I _was_ gay. It took me a long time to accept it. And since you guys are almost never home, I didn't think there was a point." Alec didn't want to mention that he had been in love with Jace since he was twelve, and that meeting Magnus made him realize that it was okay to be himself. Somehow, he knew his dad didn't want to hear that.

"So you thought lying to us almost your whole life would be a better idea?" Robert asked, his arms crossed over his chest, looking extremely intimidating.

"Would you have accepted me if I told you five years ago?" Alec asked.

Robert said nothing, he just let out a loud sigh and glanced sideways. Maryse looked at her son sympathetically, no words escaping her mouth either. Isabelle and Max had been quiet this whole time, and Alec knew they weren't going to say anything to make matters worse.

"Oh my god," Alec sounded bewildered. "You wouldn't have accepted me."

"I didn't say anything." Robert said quietly.

"Your silence implied it." Alec started to feel tears burning behind his eyes, and he mentally told himself not to let them escape. "I was right to never had told you."

"Enough, Alexander." his father snapped. "I have every reason to believe what I believe. To feel what I feel."

"So do I!" Alec exclaimed, and his vision started to blur. His mind was yelling at him not to cry. To not break down in front of his father, something he never wanted to do. "My sexuality doesn't change or affect your life. Why would it matter if I like boys instead of girls?"

"It matters to me." Robert said coldly. "If you marry another man, then you're unable to have children." Alec opened his mouth to speak, but his father cut him off. "And don't start telling me you can adopt instead, because that's not what I meant. What I'm saying is that you can't continue the generation. _Our_ generation. I want grandchildren that have the same blood as mine."

"Well that's it then." Alec sounded a little shaky. "How I feel is absolutely abnormal. Unspeakable and unnatural. Is that it?"

"I didn't say any of that." his father replied. "But I can't disagree with you. In my eyes, two people of the same gender should not be together."

That was it. That last sentence made something snap inside of Alec. Instead of bursting into a fit of rage or breaking down and crying, he just spun around and started to walk away. He saw the looks of dismay on his sibling's faces as they stared at him and back at their father.

"Don't walk away from me, Alexander." Robert's voice was as hard as stone, which made Alec shiver to the very core. "I'm not done talking to you."

Alec slowly turned around, his throat feeling tight. "Well _I'm _done talking to you." he managed to sound firm, but his voice wavered slightly.

"That's not up to you to decide." Robert snapped, and he extended his arm, palm open. "Now give me your phone."

Alec quickly placed his hand on the lump in his pocket, where his cellphone was always kept. "Why?"

"I'm grounding you."

"For what?" Alec's voice cracked as it raised slightly. "What did I do wrong?"

"Just give me the phone, Alexander." his father practically yelled.

"No."

"Alexander, give it to me _now_." Robert was almost red in the face out of anger. "Don't argue with me."

"I don't understand." Alec slowly took his cellphone out of his pocket, but didn't give it to his father. "Why are you taking my phone away?"

"Because you're not allowed to speak to Magnus anymore." Robert explained. "You can only see him at school, and that's it."

"Robert," Maryse sounded shocked. "Isn't that taking it a little too far?"

"These are my rules, and this is what I think is best." Alec's father said, finalizing the argument. He then turned back to his son. "Your phone."

This time, Alec couldn't hold in his tears. They filled his eyes, and he could feel the back of his throat burning. With his mind and body out of sync, he slowly placed his phone in his father's hand. When he retrieved his hand, he looked up at his father, but he was blurred by the tears dying to spill out.

"This isn't fair." Alec said, his voice trembling. "You can't do this to me."

"Yes, I can." Robert said, his voice low.

Without another word, Alec turned around, walking right past his siblings, who looked shocked beyond words. He heard his dad calling his name, but Maryse stopped him, telling him to let their son be. He silently thanked his mother for at least stopping his father from seeing the tears spill down his face.

When Alec got to his room, he slammed the door shut and fell on his bed, his face buried in the pillows. He could feel the tears running down his cheeks, and he quickly placed his hands on his face, a small sob escaping his lips. And at that moment, he couldn't stop crying. He cried silently, but his shoulders shook with every sob. Every time he wiped one away, more tears came out.

He didn't know how long he had cried until he heard a knock on his door. At first, he thought he had imagined it, but when the knocking sound came again, but louder, he knew it was real.

"Go away," Alec yelled, his voice muffled with his face still in the pillows.

"It's me," the voice said, and he knew instantly that it was his sister. He heard the door opening, and as soon as she stepped in, Isabelle quietly closed the door behind her. "I thought I should come and see you."

"I'm fine, Iz." Alec sniffled, refusing to look up at his sister. He didn't want her to see him like this.

He felt the mattress sink under Isabelle's weight as she sat on the side of the bed. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. She didn't say anything for a while, just sat there.

"I'm sorry, Alec." she said softly. "I know this must be hard. But everything will be okay."

"How?" Alec asked miserably, face in his pillows.

"I don't know," Isabelle replied. "But all I know is that you and Magnus care for each other too much to let something like this come between you two."

This time, Alec slowly sat up, his hair a mess and his eyes swollen from crying. Isabelle dropped her hand from his shoulder and stared at him with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"You think so?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Yes," Isabelle nodded with a small smile. "I think so."

"I hope you're right." Alec rubbed his eyes and cheeks, which were still wet from the tears. "This is just... too much for me right now."

"I know, Alec." Isabelle scooted towards her brother and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I know."

The two siblings stayed quiet, not having to say another word. Isabelle rested her head on Alec's shoulder, his cheek resting on top of her head. They stayed like that, in comfortable silence. But in that silence, as everything finally sank in, Alec realized that none of this would have happened if Jonathan never would have sent that picture. Or if whoever took the picture showed it to him in the first place. It was his fault everyone found out. It was his fault his parents found out too, and grounded him in the process.

In that moment, Alec felt pure hatred towards Jonathan. Whatever good impressions he had on him had now vanished. This was something completely unforgivable, and knowing that Jonathan did this with no hesitation made Alec realize why Jace hated him so much.

* * *

Alec really didn't want to go to school the next day. When his alarm went off, he pressed the snooze button and fell back asleep. About fifteen minutes later, Isabelle walked into his room and woke him up by shaking him lightly. It took a good two minutes to get him out of bed.

By the time they got to school, there were barely five minutes left until the bell. Max had to run to get to his locker and get to class on time, and Isabelle and Alec took their time, knowing they would probably be late, but not caring. Alec had gym first, so he decided to head over to the office and get his tardy slip before heading to the changing rooms. By the time he was ready, he was already ten minutes late into the class.

Class went by slowly, just like yesterday. Jace had completely ignored him yet again, and at this point, Alec kept reminding himself of the conversation he had with Clary at lunch the other day. He knew Jace wouldn't ignore him forever, but he figured _he_ had to be the one to approach him, instead of the other way around.

Magnus looked like he wanted to talk to him, but barely spoke a word. Alec knew Magnus was only doing this for the better, since people were still staring at them, in shock by the news yesterday. Nonetheless, Alec was itching to get out of class, and away from Jace and Magnus. If anything, he wanted to talk to them alone, not with a bunch of people eying him curiously.

When lunch came along, Magnus was waiting by Alec's locker, much to his dismay. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking around, observing people as they passed.

"Magnus," Alec couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." he replied with a small smile. "I figured we needed some time to talk."

Without another word, the two walked towards the cafeteria. After ordering their lunch, they sat at an empty table, knowing that sitting with Jace and the others would still be pretty awkward.

"Okay, anything you wanted to tell me?" Alec started, taking a sip of his soda.

"I texted you yesterday." Magnus explained, picking at his salad while looking up at his boyfriend. "But you never answered. Did something happen?"

At that, Alec nearly dropped his can of soda. Before making a mess, he gently placed it on the table and cleared his throat, feeling the tears coming back. He looked away, taking a small breath and telling himself to calm down. There was no reason to cry again.

"My dad took it away." Alec said. "So that way I can't talk to you outside of school."

Magnus' eyes widened. "You mean they found out about us?" When Alec nodded, the sparkly student let out a sigh. "I'm so sorry, darling."

"It's not your fault." Alec looked down at his can of soda as he wrapped his hands around it. "My dad was pretty upset, and I guess he just overreacted and took my phone away."

"So, what...? Now we can't see each other outside of school?" Magnus said slowly.

"Basically," Alec nodded miserably.

"I didn't expect this to happen." Magnus admitted. "Your parents... well, your dad doesn't want us to hang out at all?"

Alec sighed deeply. "I can't hang out with you. I can't text or talk to you, unless I'm at school. That's my punishment."

The two stayed silent, as if they were deep in though. Alec took small sips from his can, and stared at his sandwich, not really wanting to eat it. Magnus was frowning, which meant he was thinking about something, and trying to find a solution. Suddenly, he looked up at Alec, and he met eyes with his boyfriend.

"This can still work, you know." Magnus explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we can still hang out at school, right? As long as we stay here, your dad has no say." the sparkly student went on.

"I guess." Alec shrugged. "But we're at school, Magnus. We can't do anything. I think he's preventing us from doing... other stuff."

"I know that." Magnus said slowly. "And I also know that you're still too afraid to show public affection around the other students, especially your friends. But you know what? You're going to have to talk to Jace eventually. And once you two talk, and everything is sorted out, things will go back to normal."

"Well, things will go back to normal with my _friends_." Alec agreed. "But who knows how long this thing with my dad will last? He's obviously not ready to accept us. To accept _me_."

Magnus looked at Alec with sympathy in his eyes. Slowly, he placed his hand on top of his, and Alec didn't pull away. He didn't care if people saw them touching each others hands. That wasn't even close to what they usually did.

"It'll take some time, but he'll get over it, too." Magnus said hopefully.

"I hope you're right." Alec sighed.

When Magnus smiled, it was hard for Alec to smile back. He didn't want him to see that he was having a hard time taking everything in. In a span of a day, his friends and family—not to mention everyone at school—found out about his relationship with Magnus. That picture changed so many things in Alec's life, and he wasn't even sure if his dad would ever get over it.

**This was a sad, but rather fun chapter to write. I promise things will get better for Alec, because I can't stand him being so miserable. But this had to happen, unfortunately. Let's hope Jace forgives him soon! Anyway, please leave a review and let me know what you all thought of this chapter. I would really appreciate it. Bye! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm glad I finally got this chapter up! Summer vacation started a week ago for me, but I was still occupied with other things. Keep in mind, even though it's summer, I still have things to do. Of course, I'll be a lot less busy, so updates will (hopefully) be faster. Anyway, to everyone who's not in school, I hope you're all having a great summer vacation so far! To everyone who is, I still hope you're all doing well ;P Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Look, I still don't own the Mortal Instruments. Who thinks I ever will?**

Chapter Nineteen

Being ignored by Jace was a lot more lonely than Alec thought. Every single day, his best friend would refuse to look at him, to talk to him. During gym and English class, it wasn't any better. Jace was pretty stubborn—much to Alec's irritation—and he made it pretty clear that he didn't want anything to do with him. Alec knew that had to change very soon.

To make matters worse, and to make Alec stress even _more_, exams were coming up very soon. Everyone had the rest of the week to finish up assignments and study until the very first exam started on Monday next week. Alec wasn't too worried about failing any of them, but he would always worry about forgetting a few things. Somehow, his mind loved to think about the worst case scenario.

There was also the fact that once Alec got home, there was no way for him to contact Magnus. Besides studying, he had nothing to do. During his free time, he would try to sit in his room and do some quiet reading, but Alec would always drift off and think about his boyfriend and his fight with Jace. So instead, he would end up lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, his mind wandering.

It became a habit of Alec's to pick a room and just sit or lie there, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about anything and everything. Isabelle and Max said nothing of it—they figured he was bored out of his mind since he couldn't talk to Magnus after school. But when his parents noticed, they decided to say something about it.

"Lying around and doing nothing is not a way to spend the day, Alexander." Maryse said, towering over him as he lay on the couch, his hands resting on his stomach. "You have to do something."

"I'm lying down, I'm thinking, and I'm breathing. Those are all something." Alec said flatly, still staring up at the ceiling.

"I meant something productive." his mother said, not sounding amused. "How about reading? Or hanging out with some friends?"

"I can't even concentrate when I read, Jace won't even speak to me, and I don't feel like hanging out with anyone else." Alec explained, letting out a small sigh. "There's nothing to do."

"Alec, I know you're upset about the whole Magnus thing, but you can't go around sulking. Besides, you still see him at school." Maryse said gently.

"Seeing him at school is not enough." Alec said. "If you were ever at teenager, I think you'd understand why that is."

"For heaven's sake, Alexander." Robert said, appearing at one end of the couch, where Alec's feet were. "Enough of this. You have to do something."

Alec didn't even look at his father. His eyes glanced sideways, seeing his mom with her arms crossed at the edge of his vision. She didn't say anything, and Alec knew his dad was looking straight at him, expecting and answer out of him. But he refused to speak to him. After all, he was still pretty upset that his father had taken away his phone, thus preventing him any contact with Magnus.

"What do you suggest he does?" Maryse asked, the question for her husband.

"Well, once exams are over, perhaps he can apply for a job." Robert replied, answering his wife's question but keeping his gaze on his son. Alec shifted his eyes slightly towards him, surprised by the suggestion.

"A job?" Alec said slowly, the question floating in the air.

"Yes," Robert nodded. "Just a part-time job. Something to keep you busy after school and during the weekends."

"Are you saying I can't see Magnus during the weekends, either?" Alec slowly sat up, staring at his father with a slight glare.

"Your punishment applies to weekends, too, yes." his father said. "So you might want to keep yourself busy if you're going to be lying around all the time."

Alec let out a heavy sigh and lay back down, glancing sideways at his mother, who was still standing there, in the same place as always. She made no comment of objecting, but he could tell she was definitely thinking about saying something.

"Now, why don't you apply at Java Jones? You go there all the time, so it shouldn't be too bad." his father went on, ignoring the stares his wife was giving him and keeping his eyes on Alec.

"I guess," Alec replied with a shrug. To be honest, he didn't mind applying for a job. It _would_ be something to do, and it would be somewhere that he was familiar with. Besides, maybe he could convince Magnus to visit the coffee shop every weekend to keep him company.

"Good," Robert said with a nod, looking satisfied. He then left the room, probably going to start on some work in the kitchen.

Maryse still stood there, staring down at her soon as soon as her husband left the room. Alec was now looking back up at the ceiling, his arms now resting behind his head. He knew his mother was still standing there, but he made no sign of talking to her.

"At least sit up and watch some television, Alexander." Maryse said. "I'm sure staring at the ceiling isn't that interesting."

With reluctance and laziness, Alec sat back up again and turned facing the television, however his mother was blocking the view. The teenager glanced up at her, obviously wanting her to move. Maryse moved out of the way, still looking at Alec with an eyebrow raised. He grabbed the remote on the coffee table and turned on the television, flipping through the channels to find something good that was playing.

Figuring Alec wasn't going to say anything, Maryse left the living room as well, probably heading to the kitchen to start on her own work, like Robert.

As Alec flipped through the channels, he let out another heavy sigh. There was nothing good on right now. Well, nothing caught his attention, really. There were a lot of re-runs and movies that Alec had seen a million times, so he definitely didn't want to watch any of that.

Setting the remote down and leaning back against the couch, Alec glanced up. "Nope, looking at the ceiling is a lot more interesting."

* * *

Despite having to get a job, there was something Alec wanted to do before that. Before the exams finished, he wanted him and Jace to be on good terms again. Because, frankly, he was really starting to miss Jace. Not to mention being ignored by him at school would always remind him of that fateful day everything went downhill.

To do that, he had to actually confront Jace. But that wasn't really an easy thing to do. Obviously, Alec had tried approaching his friend before in gym class, but he would always walk away, saying he didn't have the time. In English, he would give him the same excuse. He even tried sending him texts, but Alec would never get a reply. This silent treatment from his best friend hadn't even been going on for a week, and it was already driving him crazy.

He remembered what Clary had said, though. How he and Jace had this special and unbreakable bond. He knew he should believe her—because days ago, he had thought so—but he was seriously starting to doubt it. Alec was mostly mad at himself, because he hadn't been able to tell Jace the truth for so long. But then again, he never gathered the courage because his best friend had been his crush. It would have been pretty awkward would he have known five years ago.

But now, he would be able to tell him. He _had_ to tell him. Knowing Jace, he would want an explanation. He would want to know why Alec hadn't told him about his sexuality if they told each other everything. Alec knew he could tell him now, because he no longer had this huge crush on his best friend. Lately, those feelings had slowly drifted away. He still felt physical attraction towards him sometimes, but Alec knew that was just because he was a teenage boy, and hormones were always raging. But he didn't feel what he used to feel anymore. Those unexplainable feelings had shifted towards Magnus.

Just thinking of Magnus made Alec's heart race. Whenever he would close his eyes, his green-yellow ones would stare back at him. Every time his boyfriend stepped into the room, his heart would skip a beat. Whenever they would kiss, Alec felt as if he was falling, and the feeling of his boyfriend's lips would linger for days straight, reminding him that he wanted more. It was a strange feeling, but it felt good. Most of all, it felt _right_. Alec knew he had to do this not only for his friendship with Jace, but for Magnus, because he deserved that much.

That was enough motivation for Alec. He knew what he had to do today, after school. As soon as the last bell rang, Alec nearly ran out of the classroom, heading to his locker and shoving all of his books and binders he needed into his bag. He heard Isabelle calling his name as he dashed right by her, but he made no sign of stopping. Alec had to get to Jace's car before he drove off. Since it was Friday, he didn't want to waste the opportunity and wait a whole weekend.

Fortunately, Jace was still standing near his car and talking to Clary by the time Alec got to the parking lot. He kept on jogging until he reached his best friend, who still hadn't noticed him. Jace had his back facing him, while Clary noticed him coming their way. She only glanced at him for a second, then looked back at Jace as to not make her boyfriend notice. Alec was grateful for that, and he placed a firm hand on Jace's shoulder. Surprised, he turned around, and when he saw who it was, he frowned and stepped out of his friend's grip, spinning on his heel to face Clary again.

"Jace, we need to talk."

"No, we don't." he snapped, not even turning around.

"Actually," Clary spoke up, placing her hands on her hips. "You guys _really _need to talk."

Jace glared slightly at his girlfriend, looking as if he wanted to argue with her. But he knew more than anyone else how pointless that was. Jace could argue—and win—with a lot of people, but Clary wasn't one of them. She was probably the only person he couldn't argue with without getting smart-ass remarks thrown back at him. So instead, he turned back to Alec, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Okay, I'm listening." he said, leaning against his car. Alec glanced at Clary nervously.

"I'll be in the car." she said, realizing that it was probably a private conversation. She gave Alec an encouraging nod before opening the passenger's door and sliding in, slamming it shut behind her.

There was an uncomfortable silence in between the two friends, and it was obvious neither one of them wanted to start the conversation. Alec knew he had no choice; he had been the one to approach Jace, and Clary was forcing her boyfriend to at least listen.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth sooner." Alec started. "I know you've already heard this before, but I had my reasons not to tell you."

"You were too afraid." Jace repeated what he had been told. "Why was that? Did you think I would hate you knowing you were gay? Do you think I'm that close-minded?"

"No, of course not." Alec shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't judge me, but I was more afraid to tell my parents than anything else. They... didn't take it so well."

"They found out?" Jace asked, sounding shocked. "How did they even see the picture?"

"I don't know." Alec frowned, thinking about that just now. Was Jonathan really that much of a jerk, and had somehow sent the picture to his parents too? Or maybe the rumors had spread fast enough to reach some of the parents. "All I know is that they found out, and my dad is pissed."

"How pissed?"

"Pissed enough to ground me by taking away my phone and preventing me from seeing Magnus outside of school. Including weekends."

"Seriously?" Jace raised an eyebrow, looking quite surprised by that statement. "That's a little harsh."

"That's what I thought." Alec mumbled, looking down at his feet.

"Okay, so you were afraid of telling your parents, which is understandable. But why not tell me? Why not tell all of us instead?" Jace asked.

"I was... kind of in denial about my sexuality for a while." Alec admitted. "It took me a while to accept it in the first place. Telling you guys wasn't something I wanted to do."

"That makes sense..." Jace nodded. "I'm guessing Magnus changed all that, though."

Alec blushed lightly. "Yeah, you could say that. Considering we're going out. And that picture pretty much proves it."

"That it does." Jace frowned slightly. "But seriously... I'm still a little perplexed as to why you didn't tell me, your best friend. The person who you can trust with every secret. Don't get me wrong, I understand that you were in total denial at first, but you could have told me about you and Magnus. You two have been going out for how long...?"

"Since the soccer finals." Alec said slowly, and his best friend's eyes widened slightly. "I know what you're thinking; two months is quite a long time for a secret relationship. But I considered coming out a few times."

"Why didn't you?" Jace didn't sound as upset anymore. His question came out in a softer tone.

"My dad... he pretty much admitted being homophobic during a conversation at the dinner table one day. I was going to tell them then, but I decided to shut my mouth." Alec's voice wavered, remembering that evening all too clearly. And how he had cried to Magnus over the phone, nearly losing hope.

"I... I had no idea." Jace said, his eyes softening. "I'm sorry, Alec. I can't believe you had to keep all of this to yourself."

"I told Magnus," Alec admitted, "so that made things a little easier."

"I could have helped you."

"No," Alec shook his head, "you really couldn't."

"Why not?" Jace's frown returned, and this time it deepened. He leaned back slightly against his car, his arms still crossed. "What makes you think I couldn't help you?"

"I..." Alec took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a minute. He couldn't believe what he was about to say, but he figured there were no more secrets to keep from Jace anymore. He already knew this much. Slowly, he opened his eyes, staring straight at Jace. "Because I kind of liked you."

"Like in the sense of...?"

"Meaning I had this crush on you. A big one." Alec blurted. "For five years."

Jace stared at him for a moment, completely unmoving. It was as if he had been frozen in place, and he couldn't speak or blink. That only made Alec even more nervous, and he regretted ever telling him. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea after all. But finally, after what seemed to be the longest minute in history, Jace leaned forward slightly, his eyes widening in shock.

"You..." Jace pointed at Alec. "You like me?"

"_Liked_, as in the past tense." Alec corrected, hoping that would help the situation a bit.

"I'm such an idiot!" Jace yelled angrily, slamming his fist on the hood of his car, but not hard enough to leave a dent. "How come I didn't see this before?"

"Well, in your defense... I was pretty subtle about it most of the time." Alec said slowly. "I was pretty determined on not letting you know."

"Yeah, but... I should have _known_. I've hung out with you long enough to be able to realize this. I mean, I had my suspicions from time to time, but I would always shrug it off. I guess I shouldn't have." Jace ran a hand through his wavy blond hair, still looking frustrated.

"So... you're not mad?" Alec asked.

"Mad for what? Liking me?" Jace raised an eyebrow questioningly, and he smirked slightly. "I can hardly blame you, really. Not falling for me is pretty much inevitable."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Of course, you're absolutely right. But seriously, you don't think it's weird?"

"It's a little odd, finding out that my best friend since birth had this crush on me for five years." Jace shrugged. "But honestly, I had suspected it sometimes, so it's not too much of a shock."

"I'm glad." Alec let out a loud sigh of relief. "I thought that if you found out about my crush on you... you'd be a little freaked out."

"It's quite flattering, actually." Jace said, his grin widening and his eyes full of mischief. "So tell me, Alec, have you ever dreamed about me?"

"Jace..." Alec let out a moan, burying his face in his hands. "Don't start with the jokes."

"What? It was a serious question! I'm actually curious." Jace said with a slight chuckle. Then he turned serious, and there was a slight pause between the two. "Hey, Alec... I'm sorry. About being mad."

"Don't be. I completely understand why you were so pissed." Alec said honestly. "You had every right to be upset that I never told you. I mean, we're best friends, and we tell each other everything. It must have been a little... upsetting."

"Yeah, it was. But I was just being selfish. I didn't think about how you were feeling about all of this. I should have helped you first. All I felt was rage, though." Jace explained.

"I know... but there's no more secrets kept between us, right?" Alec asked.

"Of course not." Jace shook his head. "Unless, of course... you've already slept with Magnus and you have yet to tell me."

"I didn't sleep with him." Alec said quickly, his face heating up. "I don't want to move that fast. Not yet."

"Good," the blond boy placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, nodding approvingly. "I want you making the right choices. Abstinence is key."

"Speak for yourself. It's not like you're a virgin." Alec pointed out.

Jace only shrugged. "Not all of us can be pure."

Alec laughed, shaking his head at his friend's silly jokes. He was glad Jace wasn't mad at him anymore, and that they were able to sort things out. Alec missed these times with Jace, where they would joke around and act silly. Of course, it was nice to have had a serious conversation, but with a person like Jace, he preferred to be sarcastic, funny and witty.

Suddenly, Alec heard footsteps coming towards them, and he spun around to find Isabelle, Max and Magnus not too far way. And at the same time, Clary stepped out of the car, smiling at the two best friends. She had probably heard parts of the conversation, and knowing they had made up, she let everyone know it was okay to join them.

"Clary told me you were talking to Jace about the whole... situation." Isabelle started, confirming Alec's guess. "I'm guessing you guys made up?"

"No, Izzy." Jace shook his head. "We were about to throw some punches until you came along."

Isabelle stuck her tongue out at him. "Seriously, you guys actually made up?"

"Yup," Alec nodded, glancing at his best friend, who grinned.

"Well, I'm glad." Magnus had appeared next to Alec, taking his hand and smiling at him. Alec couldn't help but smile back as they stared at each other.

"I'm going to have to get used to this, huh?" Jace asked, wrapping an arm around Clary's waist.

"You've got no choice, pretty boy. You'll be seeing a lot of this." Magnus said mischievously, and kissed Alec briefly on the lips.

"I'll let you know," Jace started, "that I want Alec to make the right choices. He wants to take things slow and wait until you two sleep together."

"Jace!" Alec exclaimed, his face heating up immediately. "You didn't have to say that."

"How cute." Magnus grinned from ear to ear, which only made Alec more embarrassed. But suddenly his sparkly boyfriend leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I hope I don't have to wait too long, darling."

Alec's reaction caused everyone to laugh, even though no one else heard it. He knew he was probably red in the face from embarrassment, and the laughter wasn't really helping. But Alec eventually gave a small smile, enjoying the moment he and his friends were having.

Besides, this was a lot better than fighting and being angry at each other.

* * *

The weekend was very long and dull for Alec. Despite having made up with Jace and being busy studying for exams on Monday, Alec was still dreading the thought of not being able to hang out with Magnus. He wasn't sure how long it would last, but his dad suggesting he apply for a job implied it would be for a while. At least there was one less thing to worry about.

So when Monday finally came along, Alec was very relieved. Not because of exams, but because he would finally be able to see Magnus again. It had only been two days, but it felt like longer than that. Unfortunately, since it was exam time, school only lasted for about two hours, and thus finished way earlier. He barely had any time to see his boyfriend, but he supposed it was better than nothing.

When Alec got to school, he found his friends sitting at a table near the cafeteria, where most students were hanging around to do some last-minute studying. During exams, classes started a half hour later than usual, giving the students a chance to have enough time to sleep in a bit, have a proper breakfast and probably study.

It seemed like Alec and his siblings were the last ones there, because even Magnus was sitting at the table. Camille was noticeably absent, but Alec quickly spotted her sitting a few tables down with her other friends. As soon as their eyes met, he looked away. The brief look she had given him could have burned holes right through him.

"Hey, sweetheart." Magnus greeted, kissing Alec on the cheek as soon as he sat down. "Ready for your exam today?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded, taking his things out of his bag to look through his notes one last time. "I have English today, so it should be a breeze."

"Lucky you." Magnus grinned. "I have math, so wish me luck."

"Let me know how it goes." Simon, who was sitting across from them, said. "I want to know how difficult it is."

"Will do." Magnus agreed. "Don't want my boyfriend and the math geek to fail their exam."

From then on, Alec and the others were sharing some laughs as well as notes and last-minute strategies to help them through the exam today. When Alec looked over Simon's shoulder, however, he could see a few people staring at their table. More specifically, him and Magnus. Since his boyfriend was sitting awfully close to him and had his arm wrapped around his waist, it was obvious that they were going out. Although that picture pretty much implied it. The stares made Alec a little uneasy, even though they weren't all necessarily looks of disgust. Most of them were just interested glances, but even then it made Alec squirm a little.

Magnus seemed to have noticed, because he only pulled him closer, holding him tightly around the waist in an almost encouraging way. Alec knew he shouldn't care what people thought of them anymore, but deep down, he still did. He would always get the feeling that people were staring at them, and at him when he wasn't with Magnus. The support from his friends didn't seem to be enough. Not when he knew he would never get the approval of his parents.

After the first exam had finished, Alec was happy to get out of the classroom. Like he had anticipated, the English exam was pretty easy. He finished about twenty minutes in advanced, and he had forgotten to bring a book to occupy himself with. So instead, Alec ended up staring at the blackboard in front of him, his mind wandering. Even though Jace was in the same class as him, he was not allowed to talk to him at all.

As soon as he and Jace stepped out of the classroom, his best friend had told him he had to go to the bathroom. They had arranged meeting near the entrance of the school, once they had gone to their lockers and grabbed all their stuff. The teachers always gave the students thirty minutes after the bell to finish up their exam and do it properly, which meant that there were still a number of people still in the classrooms, making the hallways almost empty. And since Alec didn't have his cellphone with him, he couldn't text anyone letting them know he was done his exam and waiting for them. All he could do was count on Jace to meet up with him rather quickly, and hope that the others were almost done.

While Alec was waiting, he decided to sit on an unoccupied bench inside the school, near the entrance. He took some notes out of his bag, wanting to study for his science exam tomorrow. He had only been reading over his notes for a minute before a shadow fell over him. Slowly, Alec looked up, expecting to see Jace or Magnus, but it was neither of them. It was Jonathan.

"Oh... hi." Alec frowned, putting his things back in his bag. He hadn't spoken to Jonathan since that awkward encounter in the hallway a couple of weeks back, and he really didn't want to talk to him now.

"I was hoping to get you alone." Jonathan said calmly. "I have a feeling you have a few things to share with me?"

"I don't feel like talking to you." Alec tried to sound menacing as he got up and slung his bag over one shoulder. He started to walk away, but Jonathan grabbed him roughly by the arm to pull him back.

"Is that so?" Clary's brother asked, his voice cold. "You don't feel like yelling at me, or punching me in the face?"

"Let me go." Alec snapped, pulling out of his grip.

"Are you that much of a wimp?" Jonathan laughed. "You won't even try?"

"Want more do you want from me?" Alec yelled, extending his arms. "You've already humiliated me, nearly ruined my friendship with Jace and gotten me in trouble with my parents. There's nothing else you can do!"

"I don't think you understand." Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest. "Magnus hasn't even been affected by this."

"He has nothing to do with this. Just leave him alone." Alec almost growled. "I don't know why you're so determined to get back at him. Is this because he insulted you way back at the beginning of the year? Because if that's the case, then that's very pathetic."

"Oh, no. That's not the only reason. Sure, after he insulted me, it pissed me off. I was being more observant towards him after that, and I started noticing a few things." Clary's brother smiled cruelly. "I noticed you two."

"Okay," Alec shrugged. "How does that have anything to do with the situation?"

"Let's just say I don't really like your kind."

"My _kind_?" Alec said. "Excuse me? Since when am I any different from you?"

"There's a lot of things separating you from me." Jonathan explained. "You'll never be like us, and you'll never be accepted into society. Why do you think they haven't legalized same-sex marriage in every state?"

"Shut up," Alec said through gritted teeth. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to calm down.

"It's true though, isn't it?" Jonathan asked. "You said your parents don't even accept you. There's a reason for that. You're not normal. You're a _disgrace_."

That was it. That last thing made something inside of Alec snap. He didn't even realize what he did until after it happened. The swing of his fist, the crunching sound it made as it connected with Jonathan's jaw, and how his head jerked to the side at the impact. Jonathan covered the bottom half of his face with one hand, and he slowly looked back up at Alec with an angry look. But that look slowly disappeared, and when his hand fell away from his face, he could see he was smiling.

"Now we're talking." Jonathan let out a breathless chuckle. "But I'm not going to let some disgrace punch me in the face without showing him what he deserves."

Alec didn't have time to react as Jonathan grabbed him by the shoulders and sent them falling to the ground. They rolled over a few times before Alec started hearing a few shouts. He looked over Jonathan's shoulder to see that a crowd had formed a small circle around them. Most of them stood there in complete shock and silence, whispering to one another, and some were cheering and whooping, obviously wanting to see a fight. Blocking them all out, Alec put his attention back on Jonathan, who was looking down at him with a wicked smile.

"Is that all?" he asked teasingly. "That can't be it. I know you've got more in you."

With a small grunt, Alec shifted his leg in between Jonathan's and kicked him right in the groin. It probably wasn't that hard of a hit, because Jonathan only stifled a groan, and punched Alec right in the nose. Almost immediately, Alec could feel the blood pouring out, but he ignored it. He took a hold of Jonathan's hair and pulled his head back so he could roll them over and be on top. Alec threw another punch at Jonathan's face, hitting him on the mouth this time. Jonathan quickly reacted with a punch to his right eye, and Alec hissed in pain as covered it with one hand. With lighting speed, Jonathan punched Alec in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Alec let out a cough as he rolled off Clary's brother, who then grabbed him by the collar to hoist him up.

"See?" Jonathan said, bringing his face inches from Alec's, his wicked grin returning. "Disgrace."

Before Alec could lung at him, two strong arms grabbed him from behind and pulled him back. Alec turned his head to the side to see a mop of golden hair. Obviously Jace. From what he could see, his best friend didn't look too pleased.

"What the hell his going on?" Jace yelled.

"Alec thought he could beat me up." Jonathan replied, his arms crossed over his chest. There was a cut on his lip from when Alec had punched him, and it was still bleeding.

"Why did you do that, Alec?" Jace asked. He didn't sound angry, but concerned. He turned his friend around to get a good look at him, and his face dropped when he saw the injuries on his face. "Jesus..."

"Does it look bad?" Alec asked weakly. His nose wasn't bleeding anymore, but he could feel the dried blood under his nose and on his chin, and that his right eye was starting to swell.

Jace studied Alec's face for a second, before replying, "Looks like you might get a black eye."

"Are you always being treated like this, Alec?" Jonathan asked from a few feet behind him. Slowly, Alec spun around and glared at him. "Being babied by all of your friends? Is it because you're gay?"

"Go to hell." Alec growled, and Jace placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him from doing anything reckless or stupid.

Suddenly, one of the teachers weaved his way through the crowd. Alec didn't know which teacher it was, since he never had him for any class before. But by what he was wearing, he knew he was a gym teacher.

"What is going on here?" the teacher sounded furious as he stepped in between Alec and Jonathan. "I heard there was a fight going on over here."

"Yeah, the asshole over there beat up my friend, as you can obviously see by the injuries on his face." Jace explained, motioning to Jonathan, who had an eyebrow raised in indifference.

"Watch your mouth, Herondale." the gym teacher snapped. Jace did as he was told, but kept glaring at Jonathan nonetheless.

"Now, I don't care how or why this all started. I'm sending you two to the principal's office. You'll be able to explain everything once you get there." the teacher explained, grabbing both boys by the shoulder to guide them to their destination.

"I'm coming with them." Jace said suddenly, taking a step forward, but the gym teacher shook his head.

"Absolutely not. Just go home."

"Aren't you going to send me to the office for using foul language?" Jace asked, crossing his arms. "Doesn't that deserve a punishment?"

"Jace, stop." Alec said, staring at his best friend. After a moment, Jace let out a defeated sigh and glanced at the ground, where Alec's bag lay. It must have somehow fallen off his shoulder at some point during the fight, but he never noticed.

Jace slowly picked it up and handed it to Alec. "Here,"

Alec nodded his head and gave him a small smile, slinging his bag over both shoulders. He then turned around, following the gym teacher to the principal's office. And honestly, he didn't really mind getting in trouble. It felt good to give Jonathan a piece of his mind. Especially when he looked over at Clary's brother, and saw that he was staring back at him, grinning in satisfaction. The cut in his lip made him look even more crazy than he already was, and it took everything in Alec not to punch him again.

* * *

After speaking to the principal, it was decided that both Alec and Jonathan would be getting detention right after exams had finished. Jonathan would be getting more than one, since he had gotten more damage on Alec and had been the one to persuade him into fighting. It was hard for Alec to explain why he had punched Jonathan first, but when he did, he was glad to have said it. The principal looked furious, and had even yelled at Jonathan, who of course looked completely unfazed.

Before they left, the principal had said she would call both of their parents to explain the situation, which caused Alec to panic. He hadn't even thought about his parents, and now that it was brought up, Alec was starting to regret ever punching Jonathan. Well, maybe not completely, but he still felt sick to his stomach as he stepped out of the office.

When Alec stepped outside, he found all of his friends waiting for him. Isabelle immediately ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close into a tight hug.

"Izzy, you're choking me." Alec said, slowly pushing her away with his hands.

"What the hell were you thinking?" his sister asked, looking at him sternly. "Why did you fight Jonathan?"

"Because he pissed me off." Alec explained, frowning. "He said some unnecessary things."

"What did he say?" she asked.

Alec looked over Isabelle and met eyes with Magnus. His boyfriend stared back at him with a serious face, and he seemed to understand what he was thinking. The sparkly student took a step closer to Alec and Isabelle.

"It was about Magnus and I." Alec said slowly, keeping his eyes on his boyfriend. "He said that... that he doesn't like our kind."

"That piece of shit." Jace spat, who was standing beside Clary. "I swear, if I ever see him again, I'm going to make him wish he never said that."

"No need. Alec already beat him up, didn't he?" Simon pointed out.

"Yeah, but not enough." Jace cracked his knuckles.

"I appreciate that, Jace. But I don't think that's going to help. You'll get in trouble like Jonathan and I did." Alec explained.

"Does it look like I care?" Jace raised an eyebrow. "He made fun of you, Alec, and he hurt you. Not just physically, but emotionally too. Nobody does that to my best friend."

Alec felt a sting behind his eyes. It was true, Jonathan _had_ hurt him both physically and emotionally. What he said had really upset him at the time, but now that he thought about it again, he felt like crying. But he refused to break down in front of all his friends. Instead, he pressed his palms against his eyelids until he was sure no tears would escape.

"I just want to go home." Alec said softly, avoiding anyone's eyes. He could feel the skin under his eye starting to bruise, and it was still pretty swollen. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As Alec walked past his friends, he could see the sympathetic looks on their faces. He didn't need their sympathy, though. Clearly, Alec could fend for himself, even though it meant getting in trouble in the process. However, Clary's face looked hardened. She looked at Alec right in the eyes when he glanced at her.

"I'm sorry about Jonathan, Alec." she said. "Sometimes I forget how mean he can be."

"You don't have to apologize." Alec smiled weakly at her, and kept on walking, Isabelle following behind him. Max still had school, since he didn't have exams. He was going to be taking the bus home instead.

When Alec got to his car and turned around, he was surprised to see Magnus standing a few feet behind them. He hadn't realized his boyfriend had followed them. Isabelle stared at Alec and Magnus for a while before clearing her throat and scratching the back of her neck.

"I'll, uh... be over there." she said, slowly walking away, far enough to be out of earshot.

Magnus immediately placed his hands on the sides of Alec's face, bringing his face inches to his. His eyes scanned the injuries that Jonathan had given him. Although now, the dried blood had been wiped off, and the only thing left was the black eye slowly forming.

"I can't believe he did this to you." he whispered, his fingers lightly touching the bruise under Alec's eye.

"I had to defend myself, Magnus." Alec explained softly. "And it's not like I didn't damage him either."

"I know, but... is violence really the answer?"

"He didn't leave me any other option." Alec said through gritted teeth. "You don't think I could defend myself, just because he hurt me more?"

"Of course not, Alec. Don't say that." Magnus kept his hands on either side of his face, holding him firmly in place. "I know you can take care of yourself. All I'm saying is that you don't have to beat people up to prove a point."

"So you don't think Jonathan deserved it?"

"Oh, he definitely deserved it." Magnus grinned, leaning closer. "I think you did a pretty good job."

Alec smiled, and leaned in to close the gap between him and Magnus. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, pulling him closer. They kissed softly for a minute, and when Alec pulled away, he realized that they were in the school's parking lot, and that they had kissed in front of a bunch of students.

But for once, Alec couldn't care less.

**So... yeah. There's not much I can say on this chapter. Just that I hope the little fight scene was okay. I'm not really good with those, okay? Okay. Thanks. Anyway, please review and let me know what you all thought! Because reviews help me update faster, and let me know if I'm doing a good job. You see, it's a win-win situation! So yeah, bye! :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Wow! Over 200 reviews! This is really amazing, you guys! I don't know how to thank you guys enough for all the awesome reviews... It really means a lot! Maybe we could reach 250? 300? Anyway, the least I could do to thank all of you is to give you this chapter! We're already at the twentieth chapter, so that's pretty exciting. So... please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. No one on this site does.**

Chapter Twenty

Alec's parents were furious when they got home from work. They had been going on and on about how violence was not something they could tolerate, especially from him. Alec wasn't exactly sure what they meant by that, but he decided to let that comment slide. One thing Alec noticed was that his parents—especially Robert—weren't as mad compared to the time they found out about his sexuality. Which kind of hurt a bit.

Since they were still pretty upset, Alec was grounded anyway. He wasn't sure what more they could possibly do to punish him, but they had found a way. He was not allowed to hang out with any of his friends for the rest of the week. It didn't bother Alec that much, since he was already bored out of his mind anyway, but it was still a bad enough punishment.

Alec took that opportunity to fill out his application for Java Jones. He drove there immediately after his science exam, bringing Isabelle with him. She didn't seem to mind, and just waited in the car. When had walked into the shop to fill out a form, people kept looking at him funny. It took Alec a second to realized he had a black eye, and it probably looked pretty weird to everyone. The manager, who had given him the paper, had asked him about it, and Alec had managed to stutter out a reply by saying he fell and hit his face on a coffee table. He couldn't tell the manager the truth, because then he would never hire Alec. Luckily, the manager seemed to like Alec, and told him he would be calling soon to set up an interview.

When he got home, he started studying for his math exam. Magnus had told him that it really wasn't that hard, and that he and Simon could easily pass it, since they were so good with the subject. It didn't take him that long to look over his notes and make sure he understood everything, so when he was done, he was bored yet again. Alec tried to read again, and managed to actually read a few chapters of his book, but after a while he got lost in his thoughts yet again. He knew this was going to be a long week.

Finally, exams had finished. It felt like a long time for Alec, but it had only been three days since his second punishment. His black eye had gotten worse the next day after his fight with Jonathan, and it didn't look much better now. He had his gym exam last with Jace and Magnus, which was probably the easiest and simplest exam ever. Alec was a little worried that he might get a football in the face when they were demonstrating their throws, but he luckily didn't get hurt.

The only good thing that came out of his week so far was the phone call he got from the manager at Java Jones. He had called him on Thursday afternoon, and had asked for an interview in an hour. Alec cleaned himself up a bit before leaving, and he was pretty nervous when he got there. Despite all that, he thought it had gone pretty well, and the manager seemed to think so too, because he gave him the job. Alec was pretty excited, and his first shift started tomorrow afternoon. At least now, he had _something_ to do. Something to keep him on his feet.

When Alec woke up on Friday morning, he was more excited than he thought he would be. He supposed he was just looking forward to getting out of the house, even if it was for work. At this point, Alec just wanted to do something different. And since exams were done, the students had Friday off, so Alec had time to sleep in a bit and get ready later during the morning. Even with all that extra time, Alec was ready before lunch, and once he was done eating, he still had a good hour left until he had to leave for his first shift at work.

Java Jones was pretty busy, as it always was, when Alec walked into the coffee shop. He was grateful for the sun visor they had to wear as part of the uniform, because it cast shadows over his eyes, and helped his black eye look less obvious. As for the rest of the uniform, he had to wear dark brown khakis and a lighter polo shirt, and depending if you were preparing the food or not, a green apron. The visor was green and brown. Alec walked over behind the counter, a little unsure what to do. His manager had told him he had to work at the cash register, and someone who was free would be training him.

Luckily for him, Alec spotted someone who didn't look too busy. A guy with short brown hair, which looked almost blond when it caught the light, was wiping the counters and whistling a random tune under his breath. He looked friendly enough, and around Alec's age, so he decided to walk up to him.

"Um, hello." Alec greeted timidly. The boy looked up, and his chocolate-brown eyes met Alec's blue ones. He smiled kindly.

"Hi there." His eyes studied Alec. "You're new here?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"You looked a little lost." the guy laughed. "Don't worry about it, though. Happens to all of us."

"Yeah," Alec gripped the straps of his small backpack. "Where can I put my stuff?"

"In the back." the boy pointed at the door near the counter. "How about I show you around?"

"That would be great, thanks." Alec smiled. "Um..."

"The name's Elliott." he replied, extending his hand out, and Alec shook it.

"Alec."

"Nice to meet you, Alec." Elliott's smile widened. "Follow me, and then I'll show you how things work."

* * *

It didn't take long for Elliott to show Alec how the cash register worked. It was pretty simple, considering Alec used to work at a grocery store, and would usually work at the cash. Elliott also showed him where the cleaning supplies were, for when there was some sort of emergency. There wasn't much else for Alec to know, so he immediately got to work. Elliott stayed close by, making sure he didn't mess up any of the orders or had any questions.

When Alec's shift finally ended, he felt relieved. The first day was always more exhausting than the others, in his opinion. Alec collected his things and was about to leave the shop, but someone gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Startled, Alec turned around and met Elliott's gaze.

"Oh, um... what is it?" he asked surprisingly.

"I was just curious." Elliott started. "What are your working days?"

"Every day except for Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday." Alec replied, a little curious about why he wanted to know about that.

"Me too. Same time as today?"

"Pretty much," Alec answered with a nod. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just wanted to make sure you would be here tomorrow. That way I'll still be able to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't mess up." Elliott said with a grin.

"Oh, thanks." Alec said sarcastically.

"I'm teasing." Elliott patted Alec's shoulder. "You were actually pretty good today. You're a fast learner, I have to admit. Very easy to work with."

"Thanks," he smiled slightly, actually meaning it this time. "It's not too hard."

"Well, anyway, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"For sure." Alec nodded. After saying goodbye, he exited the coffee shop, and turned around once to see that Elliott was heading towards the 'Employees Only' door, probably going to get his stuff.

When Alec got home, Isabelle was sitting on the couch, watching a movie that was playing on the television. Alec sat down beside her, not bothering to change into his regular clothes just yet. He needed a minute to relax and unwind. Although, if he wanted to do that, he shouldn't have sat down beside his sister, because she always had something to say.

"How was your first day at work?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the movie. For once, she didn't have her cellphone in hand. Maybe she was trying not to have it around too much, for Alec's sake. Not that it bothered him too much.

"Pretty good, actually. One of the employees, Elliott, showed me how everything worked, and I caught on almost instantly." Alec explained.

"That's good." At that moment, she glanced over at her brother. "Was this Elliott guy hot, at least?"

Alec rolled his eyes. "You do realize you have Simon now, right?"

"Oh, I know. But a girl can still be curious." There was a moment of silence. "So, was he?"

"I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention to _him_." Alec explained. "But he wasn't ugly."

"Well, why don't you look at him better next time?"

"Really, Izzy?"

"Holy crap, I'm only messing around." Isabelle said, putting her hands up in defense. "Can I not joke around and _try _to lighten the mood?"

"Sorry," Alec sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. "I guess I'm a little tired."

"Because of work?"

"That's part of it." he nodded. "And my eye is bugging me."

"Use an ice pack." Isabelle said. "You know, using it only one day doesn't mean it'll magically heal."

"I know," Alec grumbled, and got up to go get an ice pack in the freezer. He wished he could talk to Magnus, or any of his friends, but he didn't have his phone. Naturally, he wasn't allowed to use Isabelle's phone, and his parents said they would keep track of her usage to make sure.

It really was a relief he was working now, because Alec thought for sure he would go stir crazy if he didn't go out to keep his mind off things. At work, he hadn't thought about any of his problems, since he had customers and other things to handle at that time. Elliott was pretty nice, too. Maybe he could keep him company, and not make his job as boring.

However, just because Alec thought that working at Java Jones was a little boring, it was definitely not empty. The coffee shop was always busy, so it kept Alec on his feet all the time, which he liked. Alec didn't mind a little challenge, even if it meant having to keep a smile on his face while people complained about their coffee, or clean up a mess that a kid had made by spilling his whole drink on the table and floor.

When he arrived at work on Saturday, Elliott was there, taking someone's order at the nearest cash register. As soon as he looked over in his direction, he smiled and nodded his head in greeting. Alec smiled back, and went to the back to drop of his things, and then walked behind the counter, ready for the day.

"Alec, do you mind taking over for me at the cash? I'll be nearby, if you need me." Elliott said, stepping aside so Alec could take his place.

"Sure," he nodded, and Elliott started to prepare the customers order, still in listening distance. Alec pulled his sun visor lower over his eyes, to hide his black eye. Yesterday, a few people had asked him about it, and most of them were curious kids. It made Alec feel totally embarrassed, having to tell them that bullshit story, which made him sound like a total klutz.

There was a moment where no people walked into the shop, and Alec was sitting there, having nothing to do but glance at the customers already in the shop, drinking their coffee or eating some donuts and muffins. In other words, Alec was pretty bored. Elliott walked up to him, letting out a small sigh and looking all around the shop.

"There's always a time where no one walks in." Elliott explained. "It'll pass."

"I guess it's nice having a break." Alec said with a shrug.

There was a moment of silence in between the two until Elliott cleared his throat, and Alec glanced at him curiously. The other employee was looking at him as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if he should. In the end, he decided to say it anyway.

"I was wondering... how did you get that black eye?" he asked. When Alec didn't answer—he was shocked by the question—Elliott looked apologetic. "I was going to ask you yesterday, but it would have seemed rude. You know, since I just met you."

"It's fine, it doesn't bother me." Alec tried to sound nonchalant. "It's just... the reason how I got it is kind of embarrassing."

"What happened?"

"I, uh... tripped and my face hit a coffee table."

"Oh, so you're a klutz, huh?" Elliott looked like he was containing his laughter, and Alec started to flush in embarrassment. It's not like he wanted to tell him the _real_ reason, because then Elliott would probably think he was crazy and very violent.

"Not usually. But I guess at the time... I wasn't paying attention."

"Don't worry, I can be pretty klutzy." Elliott reassured. "Once, when I was playing tennis, I smacked myself in the face while I was serving the ball."

"Really?" Alec smiled slightly, trying to imagine the scenario.

"Yeah, but I'm a lot better now. At least, I hope so."

"So, you play tennis regularly?" Alec didn't want them to fall into an uncomfortable silence, since there still wasn't anyone coming in.

"I do." Elliott nodded. "I actually play it competitively. I surf too, but that's more of a secondary thing."

"I guess you don't smack yourself in the face anymore when you play tennis?" Alec guessed.

"No," Elliott laughed. "Do you play any sports?"

"I play soccer. Not competitively, though. It's more for fun." Alec explained.

"Cool, I love watching soccer. Ever did a klutzy move while you played?" Elliott asked with a grin.

"Too many to count, but I was little." Then Alec frowned a little, thinking hard. "Well... the last time I hurt myself wasn't _too_ long ago."

At that, Elliott couldn't help but laugh. Alec wasn't sure why he had said that out loud, but he had to admit it was worth laughing at. To be honest, he wasn't really sure why they were telling each other things like this, but Alec supposed it was to pass the time, or just get to know each other. Alec didn't know about Elliott, but he definitely didn't want to make enemies with his co-workers. Being friends with them wasn't a bad idea at all.

"You know, you're not a bad guy, Alec." Elliott said, still smiling.

"Neither are you." Alec replied, glancing at the entrance of the coffee shop, and seeing that more people were now walking in. "Break's over."

"I guess you can take over the cash again. I'll be around." his new friend said, patting Alec on the back and walking off to go do something else.

Alec let out a small sigh as he turned around to face the counter, ready to take the customer's orders. It was only his second day at work, and he was already liking it. Well, as much as he could like a job, but Elliott's presence sure helped. He knew that the two could become good friends.

* * *

The new semester had officially started when the students got back to school on Monday. The way it worked at St. Xavier's, both semesters had different classes for each student. There were eight classes in one school year, so each semester split into four classes a day. Once the first semester was done, the students would get the other four classes for the second semester. Which meant, obviously, that Alec now had new classes.

Alec had figured out that he had Spanish with Jordan and Sebastian, geography with Jace and history and French with Magnus. Unfortunately, he also had French with Camille, but he supposed that he would have to live with it. How, he wasn't sure. But he was going to pull through somehow.

Spanish was Alec's first class, so he met up with Jordan and Sebastian before heading off to find their classroom. He was glad to have found Magnus before the five-minute bell, too. He had the chance to talk to him for a bit, and he had mentioned how bored he was without him during the weekend. Magnus said he had felt the same, and that there had to be something done about his ridiculous punishment eventually. Alec couldn't agree more, although he wasn't sure when he could build up the courage to talk to his dad about it.

The worst part about having regular classes again were noticing the other students staring at Alec. First, because of his black eye, evidence of the fight he had with Jonathan last week. His eye had gotten better—it wasn't swollen anymore and the bruise was almost gone. Even when the black eye would be gone completely, Alec knew people would still be talking about the fight. He was sure the rumors had spread all ready; why they were talking, and how Alec had punched him in the first place. And of course, since it had something to do with his relationship with Magnus, people couldn't stop talking about that too. Naturally, it was getting on Alec's nerves, and he wondered why people didn't have better things to talk or gossip about.

During lunch, Alec kept noticing the stares. He had gotten used to ignoring them by now, and just concentrated on the conversation he was having with his friends. But as he glanced at Jonathan's table, he noticed that Clary's brother was looking at him with a pleased look, as if giving him that black eye had been his plan long ago. Unfortunately, the cut on Jonathan's lip had almost completely healed, so it wasn't as obvious as Alec's injury. Despite the look Jonathan was giving him, he noticed that Natasha was looking at him with a pained look, as if his black eye was hurting her too. That only made Alec more confused, and he looked away, putting his attention back on his friends.

"So, Alec. Izzy told me you started your job at Java Jones on Friday." Jace said.

"Oh, yeah." Alec smiled a little at his best friend. "It's not too bad, actually."

"Only because he's working with this hot guy named Elliott." Isabelle cut in. Simon looked at her pointedly, obviously not amused. She seemed to have noticed her boyfriend's look, because she raised her hands up in defense. "What? Alec said he was."

"I did not." Alec snapped, glaring at his sister accusingly. "I just said his name."

"Yeah, and you said he wasn't ugly. Which means you think he's good-looking." Isabelle explained, causing Alec to roll his eyes.

"That makes no sense." he said.

"Should I be worried, sweetheart?" Magnus asked, looking at Alec with an amused look on his face. Clearly he thought it was just as funny as the others, who were all trying not to laugh, except for Simon.

"No, of course not. I've only known him for two days."

"I can see it already." Jace said, spreading his arms. "Alec and Elliott, slowly falling in love as the days pass by. Their hearts ache for each other when they're more than ten feet apart."

"Shut up, Jace." Alec said. "It's not like that."

"That's what they always say at first. Then one day, when you wake up, the realization hits you like a freight train." Jace continued, and at this point everyone had started laughing. Alec clearly wasn't.

"You're hilarious." he said sarcastically, giving his best friend another glare.

"I know I am." Jace smiled. "But hearing it out loud once in a while is always reassuring."

When Alec had French class last period, he had to face new problems. He had forgotten about Camille all morning and during lunch, but after entering the classroom and seeing Camille sitting beside Magnus and talking to him with a huge grin on her face, Alec was no longer in a good mood. He nearly stomped over to the empty seat on his boyfriend's other side and slumped onto it, dropping his bag on the ground beside him with a loud thump. Camille stopped talking and looked over at him with a sour expression. Magnus smiled.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," Alec managed a small smile, and Camille rolled her eyes, which caused Alec's eye to flash with anger. "What is it?"

"I didn't say anything." she snapped, her eyes glued to the front of the classroom.

Magnus glanced at both his best friend and boyfriend, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Then, seeing the scowl on both of their faces, he glared at them both, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, if you guys are going to act like this around each other during the entire semester, then you can just forget sitting close to me." he started. "You guys have to deal with this little problem yourselves."

"But, Magnus—" Camille started, but her friend interrupted her.

"I don't care what excuses you have." Magnus said, glancing at her. "The way you've treated Alec is not acceptable."

Alec tried not to smirk at the surprised blonde, but he couldn't help himself. He kept his mouth shut as he stared at her triumphantly. When Magnus glanced over at him, his smirk vanished. He just smiled, and Camille let out a snort of disgust. No other words were shared between the three, and when the bell rang, indicating the class had now started, none of them so much as shared a glance.

After school, Alec had to get to work. Jace offered bringing Isabelle and Max home when he had to go to work, which really helped Alec out a great deal. He thanked his best friend for the millionth time before driving off to Java Jones, making it there in less than five minutes. Of course, since he and Elliott had the same working days, he found him at the coffee shop too, in the back room for 'Employees Only' when he went to drop off his stuff.

"Hey, Alec," Elliott greeted with a wide grin. "How's it going?"

"I'm good." Alec replied, placing his stuff in his own little locker. "How about you?"

"Oh, pretty good." Elliott slammed his locker shut, adjusting the sun visor on his head. "Ready for another day at work?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Alec said, which caused the other boy to chuckle softly. Although, to be honest, he actually felt pretty exhausted.

The two didn't really have much of a chance to talk to each other. Today seemed to be pretty busy compared to the two other days Alec had worked. At least his job was keeping him busy, and that's all that really mattered.

When Alec was done working, he said goodbye to Elliott before heading out the doors of the coffee shop. Alec didn't have too much homework, since it was the first day of the second semester, but since he still had some, he did all of his homework as soon as he got home. By the time he was done, he was being called for supper. The rest of his night wasn't very eventful.

Only when was he in bed did Alec's mind go over all the events that had happened to him the past few days. When he thought about it, he wondered what had gone over him before punching Jonathan. He knew that Clary's brother liked to tease and manipulate people for his own entertainment, and what he had told Alec really struck him good. He felt a little ashamed for having fought someone, but since it was Jonathan, he didn't really feel that sympathetic.

But then, a few good things had come out of that week. He had met Elliott at Java Jones, and he was a pretty nice guy. It was way better than working with a douche like Jonathan. He hadn't really spoken to the other employees working at the same time as him—it had just been Elliott so far—but from what he could tell, none of them seemed to be mean.

Then there was the look Natasha had given him during lunch; the pained look she was wearing on her face. What was that all about? Why should she feel any sympathy towards him? She wasn't really involved in any of this, but Alec supposed since she was Jonathan's girlfriend, she must be disappointed and embarrassed in some way. The more he thought about it, the more Alec had to wrack his brain, so he just let that subject go.

Instead, Alec went back to the good. Another kind of good. The kind that made his heart pound and his palms sweaty, but in a weird and nice way. Thinking of Magnus made him feel that way, and he loved how no matter how many times he would think about him, he would always feel the same thing. Like falling for him all over again.

* * *

Tuesday, after school, something very strange happened. Natasha was waiting by the entrance of the school, looking as if she was waiting for someone. Alec walked right by her, not even noticing she was there until she called his name and ran over to him. Alec stopped, a look of confusion washing over his face. What could Jonathan's girlfriend have to say to him?

"Alec, I've been meaning to talk to you." Natasha said. "Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah," Alec replied, frowning slightly. Good thing he didn't have to go to work today.

"It's about Jonathan." she said slowly, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"I don't really want to talk about him." Alec reached up to feel the bruises on his right eye. It really didn't look that bad anymore, but he hoped he made his point.

"It's about the fight, actually." Natasha insisted. "I'm really sorry about that. I know it was about Magnus and the situation with the picture."

"Do me a favor and tell your boyfriend to leave me alone, okay? He's been causing enough problems. I'm not sure how my parents found out, but I think he's done enough." Alec explained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"About that..." Natasha looked away, avoiding Alec's eyes. "Jonathan wanted to make sure your parents found out about the picture."

"What? Why?"

"Well, Jonathan wanted to take the chance. Either your parents wouldn't care about the picture, or they would. Obviously, they did." Natasha took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"How did they even see the picture?" Alec started to feel sick to his stomach.

"Jonathan showed it to them himself." Natasha said. "Everyone knows where your parents work. He waited for them until they were done working, then he showed it to them. Apparently, he told them he thought they should see it, because you would never tell them about it."

Alec thought about how Jonathan said he had observed him and Magnus since the beginning of the school year, figuring out about their secret relationship. And since no one seemed to know about it, Jonathan must have assumed his parents didn't know, either. And why else would Alec keep such a secret from his friends and family? He had taken the chance, figuring his parents were probably homophobic. The other possibility would just be that Alec was too scared, but the former seemed much more likely. Jonathan had planned this for a while now, and Alec was very upset knowing he hadn't seen any of it coming.

"I can't believe this..." Alec shook his head, placing a hand to his forehead.

"I swear, I didn't know anything about this until after it all happened. I didn't know Jonathan would go this far. By the time it was all set and done, it was too late." Natasha said, sounding miserable.

"What are you talking about? How is any of this your fault?" Alec looked at Jonathan's girlfriend confusingly, but after a moment of silence, everything suddenly fell into place. "Wait a minute... Natasha. Did you... take the picture?"

"I'm really sorry, Alec. I just thought Jonathan would keep it to himself. I didn't know about any of this!" Natasha said, sounding distressed. She seemed sincere, but it didn't stop Alec from being furious.

"You? You took the picture?" Alec pointed at her accusingly. "Why did you do that? You know that those kind of things are private!"

"I know, but... I was just so surprised. I had to take a picture to prove I wasn't lying." Natasha said, looking at the ground. "But I guess I didn't really need the proof if Jonathan knew about you two."

"No, but you still had no reason to." Alec balled his hands into fists. "How would you like it if I took pictures of you and Jonathan, huh? Those things aren't meant to be shared with everyone!"

"I know, I know! And I'm so, so sorry. I regret ever taking the picture after Jonathan sent it to everyone." Natasha looked up at Alec with pleading eyes. "I really am. You have to believe me."

"I don't care how sorry you are." Alec snapped. "This is partly your fault, you know. You're almost as bad as Jonathan."

"Please, listen to me! I can help you!" Natasha insisted, reaching for Alec, but he only jerked out of the way.

"No, you'll only make things worse." Alec glared at Jonathan's girlfriend. "Just stay away from me."

Before Natasha could say anything else, Alec stormed out of the school. He could hear her calling after him, but Alec really didn't want to talk to her anymore. She had said enough, and now that he knew the truth, he didn't want anything to do with her or Jonathan. Knowing that Camille probably had nothing to do with this didn't change that he still disliked her. Besides, she had even told him she wished she could have taken the picture. The whole thing just pissed Alec off.

When he got to his car, Max and Isabelle were already there. Seeing the look on their brother's face, the two siblings exchanged a worried look.

"What happened, Alec? What took you so long?" Isabelle asked.

"Natasha took the picture." Alec explained, getting into his car and slamming the door hard.

"What?" Isabelle looked shocked as she and Max both got in the car themselves.

"We were just talking. She told me she took the picture." Alec started his car, wanting to get away from the school as quickly as possible.

"Why did she do that?"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now."

That was the end of their conversation. No one said anything else during the ride home. Even when they got in the house, nobody spoke. Isabelle and Max were too afraid to upset Alec if they asked about it again. It was probably better to ask another time. Besides, Alec needed time to cool down and think. And as he thought, only one thing came to mind. Punching Jonathan was probably the best thing he could have done.

* * *

Later during the day, Alec was in his room, finishing up his homework. He was finally able to clear his head and focus on school and more important stuff. Since he didn't have to work today, Alec was left with nothing to do. Going in the living room and watching television didn't seem like a bad idea, even though Alec regretted he would find something good on.

When he stepped into the living room, he found his sister already sitting on the couch, watching some random show and browsing the internet on her laptop. Alec took a seat beside her and let out a sigh, staring at the television screen. Isabelle was also eating some carrots out of a little bowl, and Alec reached over to grab one.

"Feeling better?" she asked, keeping her eyes on her laptop screen as she reached for another carrot.

"Yeah, I guess so." Alec nodded. "Sorry about earlier."

"Why are you sorry?"

"For just... not talking to you about it and pouting."

"Don't worry about that." Isabelle shrugged. There was a moment of silence as she kept munching on her carrot. "Hey, I just thought of something."

"What?"

Isabelle set her laptop on the coffee table and turned to face her brother, smiling. Alec looked at her confusingly, waiting for her to share whatever it was she had thought of. Most of the time, Isabelle's thoughts and ideas made no sense and were completely farfetched, but sometimes they were worth hearing. Alec hoped it was one of those times.

"Okay, you know how you're not allowed to use your cellphone or see Magnus anymore?" she started.

"I try to forget that sometimes." Alec rolled his eyes. "What's your point?"

"I think we forgot one little detail. Mom and dad are almost never home. And I have Magnus' number, which means I can still text or talk to him."

"Yeah...?"

"Do you see what I'm saying?" Isabelle asked hopefully.

"I see that you're stating the obvious." Alec shrugged. "Really, Izzy. Just get to the point."

Isabelle sighed. "Meaning I'm the bridge connecting you and Magnus when you're not at school. And he can still come over when mom and dad aren't here. You guys just have to be... sneaky about it."

"You make it seem like you're pretty important."

"I am." Isabelle smirked. "So what do you say? Am I a genius or what?"

"Well... I don't know. Don't you think mom and dad will suspect something is going on if Magnus keeps sneaking to our house? You know I don't like breaking the rules..." Alec said hesitantly.

"Oh, come on. How will they ever find out? As long as you keep your mouth shut about it, there shouldn't be a problem." Isabelle's smile widened. "And breaking the rules once in a while isn't bad."

"Yes it is. That's why people get punished when they do." Alec pointed out.

"Look, don't you want to spend more time with Magnus?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then you shouldn't give a shit about mom and dad's stupid rules! Your punishment is ridiculous and stupid anyway, right?" Isabelle went on.

"You're right about that, but—"

"But that's just it. Your punishment is dumb. End of story." Isabelle said. "So what do you say?"

"Well... you know what, you do have a good point. So why not?" Alec decided, smiling.

"Finally, my brother is breaking some rules!" Isabelle looked even more please than her brother, which amused Alec. He couldn't help but laugh. "I'll let Magnus know about our idea."

"Okay. Where's your cell?"

"In my room. I'll just text him later, don't worry." Isabelle reassured.

"You're pretty lazy." Alec said teasingly.

"Oh, shut up. You should just be thankful that I came up with such an awesome idea."

"Whatever," Alec shrugged, and put his attention back on the television screen. Isabelle grabbed her laptop and started browsing again, grabbing a carrot every once in a while.

The two were quiet for a few minutes, and for a while Alec was sure his sister was done talking to him. She was indulged with whatever she was doing on her laptop—Alec knew that both of his siblings wanted their own privacy—and for once there was a good show on. But for some reason Alec was wrong, because Isabelle had to have another brilliant idea.

"Know what I want to do?" she asked out of the blue.

"Stop talking?"

"Very funny," Isabelle punched her brother playfully. "I want to know what Elliott looks like."

"Not this again, Iz." Alec groaned, rolling his eyes.

"This is just for my own curiosity. Wanna help me find him? Please?" Isabelle pleaded.

"Fine, I guess. How are you going to find him?" Alec asked.

"That's where you come in." his sister grinned. "Do you know his last name?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, shit." Isabelle cursed, staring at her laptop screen as if it would give her the answer. "Looks like we'll have to find him the hard way."

Before Alec could ask, he quickly realized what his sister was doing as she logged onto Facebook. He couldn't help but face palm. If Isabelle thought she could find Elliott on Facebook, it was sure going to take a long time. Not unless they knew his last name. But maybe she could be lucky.

"It's going to take you forever. I bet there are a bunch of Elliott's on Facebook." Alec commented.

"I know, but I have to try. And you're going to help me by telling me what he looks like." she said, typing his name in the search bar.

With Alec's help, the two managed to narrow down a lot of the Elliott's on Facebook just by looking at their profile pictures. Even with the little information Alec knew about him, it helped them a great deal. At first, Alec started thinking that maybe Elliott didn't have Facebook—that would have ruined the concept of searching him on the site—but just when they were about to give up, they found him.

"That's him." Alec pointed at one of the profiles, recognizing the guy in the picture. "Elliott Hudson. Well, now I know his last name."

"Oh, he is _hot_." Isabelle said, looking through Elliott's pictures. "And he has abs! Holy shit, Alec, I am _so _jealous."

Alec leaned forward to get a better look at his pictures. There were a few of him surfing at the beach. Alec had to admit, he did have a nice body—probably because he surfed—and he definitely wasn't ugly either. There were other pictures of him playing tennis, which Alec found pretty cool.

"I wonder if he has a girlfriend..." Isabelle said, clicking around his profile, but Alec grabbed her hand before she could do anything.

"Okay, enough stalking for today. And must I remind you that you have a boyfriend already?" Alec said.

"Come on, I'm just curious." Isabelle complained, but she logged off of Facebook anyway, listening to her brother. However, she whispered under her breath, "I'll just check later."

**I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm not too satisfied with it, because I had a little trouble writing it. Hopefully it's not too bad. And by the way, I put this random dude Elliott into my story for a reason. You'll see soon enough! Well, that's all there is to say for this chapter. Please review and let me know what you all thought! Bye! :)**


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